Infamous Wars
by Abramus5250
Summary: During his battle with the Beast in New Marais, Cole is sent to a galaxy far, far away, a few months before the beginning of the end for the Jedi and the Republic. Will Cole make a difference in a place he does not understand? Will he find some semblance of a normal life for himself, or is he destined to change the galaxy forever? (Currently undergoing a lengthy overhaul.)
1. Prologue

**Infamous Wars**

**Prologue**

The orange sky was partially obscured by the massive cloud of dust wrought by the amount of destruction the Beast was visiting upon New Marais. Two figures stood upon a roof facing the creature, their attacks weakening it but not killing it entirely.

"He's gotta pay!" shouted one, her black hair sleek with her oily powers. The other one, a man by the name of Cole MacGrath, called out to her as she jumped into the air.

"Nix! Don't do it!" Cole could only watch in horror as Nix flew up into the Beast's face: seconds later, a massive explosion rocked the area, tearing off half of the Beast's face. The very ground shook beneath the concussive fore, and everywhere dust and debris flew off rooftops like a bomb had gone off. Cole fell backwards, his back slamming into the concrete as the howling wind rushed past his ears. He lay there for a few seconds, dazed as the shockwave dissipated.

"Nix," Cole muttered, picking himself up off the rooftop. She was dead: she had truly cared for the world, despite her appearance and actions. For all of her tough exterior and loner attitude, she had truly been a citizen of the city first, and then a Conduit. He looked over to the RFI, the possible saving grace of humanity: it was not yet full charged.

Cole looked back at the Beast, its features slowly reforming. He couldn't see Kuo, his ally-turned-adversary: she had likely fallen off the building during the struggle. He could still feel the fear in her voice when she fled after his decision to save the world. Had he done the right thing?

Quickly walking over to the RFI before his thoughts clouded his judgment, Cole removed the device from its charging socket and placed it in his backpack. The last place to charge was the church, and the Beast was getting back up.

Cole leaped from rooftop to rooftop, giving himself some extra speed with his static thrusters. Reaching the final building, he leaped off into the open air and shot out his lightning hook, pulling forward.

As he landed in a cloud of dust, he saw several Militia and rebels shooting rockets at the Beast behind him. One Militia looked up from his machine gun turret and saw him.

"Hey, it's Cole," he shouted. "Go get him Electric Man!" Several more Militia and rebels as well pumped their fists into the air and cheered.

Cole couldn't help but feel relieved he wasn't being shot at: he'd been fighting these guys since he arrived in New Marais. With them and Bertrand's swamp monsters and his army of forced Ice-Conduits, Cole felt he had finally been granted a break by fate.

Cole reached the church and started to climb. Leaping from ledge to ledge, he eventually found the last generator to charge the RFI. Within a minute, he released it from the generator: fully charged.

"Zeke," he said over his phone. "It's ready."

"Great," his friend said, letting out a series of coughs. "Activate it."

Cole was about to press the button, but he looked up and saw the Beast approaching. "No," he muttered, putting it back in his backpack. "Not yet: not yet."

He leaped off the building and landed just as the Beast crossed the gates entering the church grounds.

"This is where it ends!" Cole shouted as he rushed the Beast. He fired rockets and chucked grenades at the Beast like crazy, his energy never depleting. The Beast began to falter, his form showing more and more wear and tear.

Cole raised his arms and summoned a Ionic Storm, the numerous bolts of lightning arcing all across the form of the Beast. A blast of energy from the Beast send him flying backwards, landing on a park bench as the Beast fell over, supporting himself with his hands.

"Cole!" he heard a voice shout. He leaped up to see Kuo limping over, he face contorted with grief.

"I'm sorry Cole," she said, falling into his arms. "You were right: you were always right. Hell, even Nix was right. I'm so sorry: I was afraid."

He gently pried her off him. "I am too," he said, gently. She quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then fell back, barely catching herself on the bench.

Cole looked up at the Beast, the man formerly known as John White; his face filled with hatred and disgust. This person- no, this thing was the entire reason why he was what he had become: a god among mortals. This was why Kessler went back and changed time; this was why Trish died and his best friend had betrayed him.

"Do it!" Kuo shouted, leaning over on the park bench, her face contorted into a visage of regret, anger and pain. Cole surged his energy into the Ray Field Inhibitor, powering it up. He unleashed pulse after pulse of electricity, increasing the amount each time. Just as it neared total power, the Beast looked at Cole, its glowing red eyes burning with pain and hatred.

"I will save what is left of humanity!" its deep voice roared as several chunks near the shoulders fell from his frame. "I will not let you stop me!"

Raising its hand, the Beast shot forth its own power at Cole. The damage from Cole's attacks sent a small shard of John White into Cole's shoulder, but Cole ignored it as he felt himself absorb its energies. Then something happened that nobody could have predicted: the RFI diverted the Beast's power into itself, acting as a sort of energy magnet. This wasn't supposed to happen; but it was.

Suddenly, Cole found the RFI was more than charged: it was overflowing with energy, some of it his, some of it from the Beast. The ground started to shake and loose objects were tumbling about. Just then, as a massive beam shot forth into the sky, Cole felt his mind falter and his weak body soar up through the air, rapidly gaining speed. Finally losing consciousness, Cole felt Conduits around the world die; but then he felt nothing.

Unknown to Cole, his excess energies had opened something of a rift in space. His body, rapidly leaving the atmosphere like a rocket, soared into this vacuum. Seconds after he entered it, it closed as the world below was freed from the plague.

On the surface, in the spot where he had launched from, his Amp was embedded in the concrete, sparking every now and then. The Beast's body started to disintegrate, leaving only the body of John White: Kuo's body was nowhere to be seen. A woman fell out of the sky into a fountain, the life in her body gone before she fell. The RFI lay next to the Amp, completely burnt out: its job was finished.

Zeke felt the plague leave his body almost instantly. He walked over and picked up the RFI and turned to the gathering crowd.

"Let us never forget what he did," Zeke said, his voice carrying far over the crowd. "He gave his life so that millions would live: help me honor his memory."

The crowd seemed to understand and began to clear away the dust and debris from around the Amp. Over the next few days, a banner with Cole's visage had graced the church and news of his heroic deeds had spread throughout the country and then the world.

People everywhere who had grown to mistrust and hate the man blamed for the destruction of Empire City flocked to the cities devastated by the Beast to help rebuild what Cole gave his life to save. The news media from around the world began converging on every person who had ever known or claimed to have met Cole, trying to build a picture of his life. The terrorist, the 'Demon of Empire City', had become the patron saint of New Marais and the hero of the world.

Zeke watched as the final stones were laid into place around the Amp, which had ceased to spark within three days. He had been contacted the other day by a publisher who wanted to write a book about Cole's life: Zeke was going to make sure they got everything right. "I'm going to miss you, brother," he muttered, his voice cracking slightly as he held back the tears.

Placing his sunglasses back on his face, he thrust his hands into his pockets and turned away. With a slight breeze from the ocean moving his hair, he walked away from the Cole Macgrath Memorial. Unseen by Zeke, the Amp gave one last flicker of light and a small spark fell from the end.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Infamous or Star Wars: I just love the series. No money is being made off of this.**

Chapter One

Being dead was a lot like floating in a pool: you didn't feel anything and your body was completely relaxed. Things like this do not happen if you are not dead. Slowly opening his eyes as if waking from a pleasant dream, Cole took a look around. He seemed to be in a large and very clean white room, almost like a hospital room. A window showed the outside world to be a blazing combination of color and light. Looking down, he saw he was in his old courier clothes, like those he used to wear in Empire City.

"Where am I?" he wondered. His surroundings were impeccably clean, and he swore he could detect the faint smell of lilac. He noticed he was lying in a bed; but it was unlike any bed he had been in. The sheets were incredibly soft and the pillows felt as light as air. "This is nice," he thought, leaning his head back.

Hearing a door open, he tried to sit up. He couldn't move much: most his body seemed to be completely limp, as if still asleep. Figures moved behind a screen, just out of eyesight but their voices were not entirely muffled.

"Hello?" he called out, wishing his body would respond. The figures ceased to chatter and slowly stepped out from behind the curtain. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

"Hello Cole," said Trish, a smile gracing her face. Oh how he had always loved that smile. He looked over at the man standing next to her. "Kessler?" he asked, not sure how to respond. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here?"

Kessler just smiled as well, his features not as ravaged by age. "I am dead, Cole. You should know that; you're the one who finished me off," he said without a sign of anger. He sounded almost glad.

"Am I dead?" Cole asked, still wondering what he was doing here. Trish let out a laugh, her voice full of love.

"Far from it; you're just experiencing a little taste of what awaits you Cole," she said. "You're just in a bit of limbo. I don't think we'll see you again for quite some time."

Cole wanted to scratch his head. "So, if I'm not dead, and this is just a taste of the afterlife, what happens next?" Kessler patted Trish on the shoulder; his shoulders drooped slightly as if carrying some unseen and heavy burden.

"You're going to wake up, Cole, and move on with your life. We must warn you though, where you are going, things are much different," Kessler said, shaking his bald head. "Honestly, I don't know what you're going to do. But I'm sure you'll make the best of it: you always have."

Trish patted Cole on the hand. "Now wake up Cole, wake up..." Cole's eyes closed against their will and he felt himself moving, as though being forced through a large tube.

Cole's eyes shot open and he found himself in another strange predicament. Only this time, he was several miles up and was falling towards what looked to be a planet. Strangely, it looked nothing like New Marais or even Earth: it was entirely covered in an enormous city.

Trying to overcome the first shock of seeing this, Cole felt his mind become further unbalanced when something that looked like a flying car shot past him. But enough of that: back to the task at hand. Knowing the fall wouldn't hurt him, Cole studied his current trajectory. It seemed he was about to land in front of a large and ornate temple of some kind. Hundreds of tiny figures bustled around on the ground below.

"I can't just thunder drop there, someone might get hurt," he muttered to himself, the wind rushing past his ears. He tried his static thrusters, hoping to slow down a bit: nothing.

"Well," he said, bracing himself for impact as the ground was only a few hundred feet away. "Here goes nothing." Seconds later, he smashed into the hard surface, absolutely pulverizing the substance into chunks and dust. Cole felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the stuff. When he stopped moving, he felt that he had not fallen that deep into the material. He had only gone about a foot in, with numerous cracks leading off from his impact point. He snorted: some of the dust had entered his nose.

Getting up slowly, Cole brushed himself off and looked around. A large crowd of what at first seemed to be people had gathered around him. Looking closer, he saw that almost none of them were human. In fact, many of them looked to be an alien of some sort.

"Well this is certainly strange, but then again I've seen stranger," he thought, looking down at his crater. He let out a slight chuckle when he saw his impact had created a cartoon-like impression of him in the ground. Looking up again, he felt the need to drain some electricity. Sending out a radar pulse, he saw the entire area was just bathed in electricity: it was like the entire city was one giant battery. Walking up to a weird lamp-post thing, he drained the energy out from it. Feeling refreshed, he turned and saw several robed beings standing between him and the crowd. They had drawn what looked to be several silver canisters of sorts.

A cold metallic object pressed into the back of his temple. Peering out of the corner of his eye, he saw an alien pointing what looked to be a gun at his head, the weapon trembling slightly. Spinning quickly, Cole knocked it out of his hands, sending it flying over a ledge.

"Did you think I would be that easy to take down?" he asked. The creature stood there, puzzled by his words before quickly drawing another weapon. Before Cole could react, the gun-like weapon fired a beam of light that struck him in the shoulder. Nearby people jumped out of the way of Cole, as if expecting him to fall backwards onto them.

Cole could barely feel the impact, but the pain itself was almost non-existent. Getting angry, Cole leaped at the creature, knocked the weapon out of its surprised hand and pressed his own hand to the creature's face. "Let's see what you know," he said. Before the creature could retaliate, Cole looked into his mind and saw what he was looking for.

"I'll take that," he said, draining the information from the creature's brain directly into his own. Letting go, Cole watched as the creature ran off, an expression of pure horror etched on its features. He looked back at the robed figures and saw they were advancing on him. Shaking his head, he tried his mouth out with the language he had 'flash-learned' from the alien.

"Uh," he said. "Take me to your leader?" The robed figures looked at each other, and then one nodded and beckoned him to follow them. As Cole walked past the shocked bystanders, he saw he was being led into the temple. "I wonder what this is all about," he thought, scratching his head.

Walking through what Cole could only assume was the main entrance, it became apparent the temple appeared to be more of a home than he had previously thought. Dozens of people were walking around, human and alien of all kinds.

Some of the people would stare at him as he passed with the others. "Probably my clothes," he thought, looking down at himself. He should really wash these clothes, but he couldn't just take a shower or a bath: since he had to avoid water, those damn sponge baths had become so tedious.

Cole looked up and saw he had arrived at a series of doors. The people escorting him came to a stop, so he did so as well.

"Wait here," one of them said. He walked through the door and entered the room. Soon after, Cole could hear voices. The only problem was, they were indistinct and Cole couldn't help but look at the rest of his surroundings.

"Just where the in hell am I?" he wondered. The voices soon ceased and the robed figure walked back out, an expression of both surprise and thought etching his features.

"They are ready for you now," he said, gesturing for Cole to come into the room. Cole walked through the doors and found himself in what seemed to be a council chamber. Several robed figures of all shapes and sizes were sitting in chairs; all eyes were on him as he made his way to the center of the room.

"Uh," Cole said, looking around. "Hello."

A little green thing spoke up. "Jedi Master Yoda, I am. Your name, what is?" Cole wasn't sure he had heard that correctly. Did that little thing just speak backwards?

"Uh, my name is Cole: Cole MacGrath." Another robed figure spoke up, this one a dark-skinned human.

"Where are you from, Cole?" Cole simply shrugged his shoulders.

"From Earth," he said. The figures started to converse again, their whispers fervent. Cole got the impression that not only had he never heard of this place, but they had never heard of Earth either.

"Not familiar with this system, I am," said the troll named Yoda. "Survive your fall, how did you?"

Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a Conduit; my powers allow me to do things others can't."

The dark-skinned human spoke next. "What do you mean by powers?" He seemed to be tense, as if expecting something was wrong.

"I can do things others can't," he replied. Yoda spoke up again, his ears twitching as it did so.

"Demonstrate, could you?" he said, leaning forward as if expecting something.

Cole thought there was a sense of fear in the room, though he didn't know why. "Sure."

He pumped out the electricity onto his arms, making it arc and spark across his skin. The beings all reached into their robes and pulled out their own metal cylinders; several jumped from their seats. Cole stopped the electricity on his arms, confused.

"Will someone please explain to me everything that's going on?" Yoda spoke up again as the standing Jedi sat back down with wary looks.

"Only a few, powers they have like that," he said. "Evil, the Sith are."

"Oh," said Cole, realizing they thought he was one of these Sith. "What can I do to convince you I'm not a Sith?"

"We'll see," said the dark-skinned man. "For now, you will be given a room and watched. Make no mistake; we'll think of something for you to do."

One of the women present spoke up. "Should we give him a tour of the temple and the surrounding areas?" The one called Yoda nodded, his expression a mixture of deep thought and interest.

As Cole was escorted from the room by the four Jedi waiting outside, he had no idea just how he would change everything in this galaxy.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: The period between updates may grow longer as time goes on: college tends to cause that. If you care to have an OC in the story in later chapters, leave a review in the OC submission story, but please read the requirements first. I still don't own Infamous or Star Wars.**

A short while later Cole found himself outside the temple with his four escorts. After touring the temple, Cole had to say he was impressed. The architecture reminded him of the church where he had fought the Beast, but on a much larger scale.

"What exactly do you Jedi do?" he said, looking at one of his escorts. They seemed to be glancing at him every now and then, as if making sure he didn't make a break for it.

"We Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice throughout the galaxy," was the reply. To Cole, it seemed these Jedi were a sort of U.N. crossed with a peace corps and a religion. As Cole walked with his escorts, he felt something was wrong. An alien and what appeared to be her daughter were walking by when another alien ran by, knocked the lady down and ran off with her screaming daughter in his arms. The lady screamed after the figure, her agonizing wail stirring the deepest of hatreds in Cole's belly.

One of his Jedi escorts rushed forward, but the alien spun and around and fired his weapon. The bolt struck the Jedi in the shoulder, causing him to fall down in pain. That was the final straw for him.

Cole decided it was his turn. He ran off after the fleeing figure, ignoring the shouts of the Jedi. Luckily for him, all that urban exploration back in Empire City had honed his muscles for endurance and strength.

He quickly caught up with the startled alien, who dropped the girl and turned to fire his weapon. Swinging his charged-up fist, Cole delivered a devastating punch to the alien's chest, sending him flying through the air and into a wall. He lay in a crumpled heap, out cold.

Turning to the alien girl, Cole kneeled down. "Are you okay?" he asked. The little girl nodded, still shaking from the experience. Cole couldn't blame her: being kidnapped and rescued in such a short time would be traumatic for anyone, especially a child.

"Take my hand," he said, holding it out. "I'll take you back to your mommy." Gingerly, she took his hand and they walked back to the Jedi, who were trying to console the sobbing mother and the injured Jedi. The woman saw Cole with her daughter and rushed forward, picking up her daughter in her arms. She turned to Cole, her features filled with happiness and gratitude.

"Thank you," she said with tears in her eyes. Cole just shrugged his shoulders and patted the little girl on the head. She let out a small giggle, thanking him for saving her.

"It's what I do." The grateful alien walked off with her daughter, avoiding the still unconscious form of the would-be kidnapper. Cole walked back to where the Jedi were still attending to their wounded comrade as a pair of police officers arrived and carried off the criminal.

"Let me take a look," Cole said, kneeling next to the Jedi. He felt the air around him tense as the Jedi waited to see what he would do. He gingerly examined the wound: the bolt had fried the skin and likely damaged several muscles and tendons. He instinctively knew what he had to do. Fueling his energy into his hands, Cole delivered his shock-paddle effect to the Jedi. Within seconds, before the Jedi's astonished eyes, the wound had been healed: there was not even a scar.

"How did you do that?" the awestruck Jedi asked. Not even a force meditation could heal a wound that fast.

"I told you, I'm not one of your 'Sith'," Cole said, standing up. He walked back to the temple, the Jedi catching up to him minutes later. Cole went to the gym, feeling amped up from the chase and subsequently short fight.

"I need to burn off this energy," he thought. Spying a rock wall, Cole quickly began to climb it, ignoring he stares of the Jedi. "Harnesses are for chumps," he thought, reaching the top in no time. Looking down, he saw several Jedi staring up at him: no doubt wondering how he was going to get down.

"That treadmill over there looks good," he thought. Leaping off, he soared through the air to astonishment of the Jedi below. Upon landing on the ground, he tucked and rolled, springing to his feet as if he had fallen three feet instead of one hundred.

Stepping on the machine, Cole realized he had no idea how to work it. Looking for a computer panel of some sort, he copied the information to his brain through his hands, learning the layout of every similar machine in the process, though he didn't know it.

Activating it, he slowly accelerated it up to its top speed and ran. A group of Jedi started to gather around him after he passed the 20-minute mark. He was pretty sure that they were amazed that, even though he was running at full speed, he wasn't even breaking a sweat. "That's just the Conduit in me," he thought wryly. Turning the machine off, he walked over to a set of dumbbells. "Might as well work on my arms: it could sure help my climbing," he thought.

Picking up what he could ascertain as being the 50 pound set, he realized this would be too easy. Setting them down, he picked up the 100 pound ones. "That's more like it," he muttered.

After an hour of reps, he set down the dumbbells, his body sore and feeling the effects of his strenuous activities. Leaving the gym, he made his way to the council chambers, where his Jedi escort was waiting for him.

"Can I see the Council?" Cole asked, feeling his body ache: perhaps he had pushed himself a bit too hard. One of the escorts spoke up.

"The Council is not in: they have recently returned from a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor. Master Yoda is in: would you like to speak with him?"

Cole had a vague recollection of who Yoda was, but it wouldn't hurt to say yes. He nodded, and his escort let him in the chamber.

The little green troll was sitting in his chair, his eyes closed as if in deep meditation. Cole, unsure of what to do, sat down across from him, also in a meditative stance. After a few minutes, the troll spoke up.

"Questions have you?" he said, opening his eyes. If Coe had to take a guess, he estimated this guy had to be really, really old. All those wrinkles had to account for something.

"Yes," Cole replied. "I have been greatly conflicted since I arrived here. I was supposed to die, back where I came from. I guess what I'm trying to ask is: why am I here?"

Yoda closed his eyes again and let out a sigh, the wrinkles on his brow furrowing in thought. "Know that, I do not. Mysterious, is the way of the Force."

Cole let that sink into his memory: he'd bring that up later. "What am I to do?" he asked.

Yoda opened his eyes again and smiled. "A good heart, you have," he said. "Troubled by events in the past, you are. Touched your life, a great darkness has." Yoda furrowed his brow in concentration. "A test, I have for you."

"What is it?" Cole asked, wondering how Yoda knew what had happened in his life. Could the Force he had spoken of informed him of all that?

"Protect a galactic senator, you will," he said, tapping his cane. "Unfolding in this galaxy, dark events are. Her life, you must now protect. Assigned with you, two Jedi will be: apprentice and master." Yoda got up and walked up to Cole, his cane supporting him.

Gently poking Cole in the chest, he said: "Great things I sense in you, Cole. In time, learn of your world, I wish to. For now, acquaintances, let us be. Goodbye." He walked off, the tapping of his cane and his breathing the only noise in the room. Cole vaguely felt that he had not been told everything, but his past experiences told him that wasn't always a bad thing.

Cole watched as the sun began to set upon the city's skyline, though the fading light never truly went away. Getting up, he followed Yoda out of the room and saw only one of his Jedi escorts was still waiting for him. His face seemed to be covered in a series of tattoos, and his long hair reminded Cole of some bum he had seem in New Marais.

"Please, follow me to your guest room," he said. Cole followed the Jedi through several large rooms and near what appeared to be a room full of fountains. He made a mental note to stay away from there: he knew even in this place him and water wouldn't mix well.

"What is your name?" Cole asked as he reached what could only be his room. The Jedi looked at him with a quizzical look, the tattoos looking even more ridiculous in a brighter light.

"My name is Quinlan Vos," he said. Opening the door, he ushered Cole into his room.

"Sleep well," he said. "Tomorrow you start your assignment." Closing the door behind him, Cole trudged over and lay down on the bed. The room was very Spartan: little in the ways of recognizable furniture, and only a small set of windows. The bed itself was rather large, but in a way that implied it was used for beings larger than him. As the rays of this planet's sun slowly ebbed away, Cole closed his eyes and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Star Wars or Infamous.

Cole awoke early the next morning, but the temple was already bustling with activity. As he made his way to where the Jedi were supposed to bring him, he saw that the vehicle they would take had no wings.

"Well, considering how nothing here seems to have wings, I'll go out on a limb and say things are way more advanced than back on Earth," he thought. Touching the vehicle a Jedi had called a 'speeder', he noticed it didn't explode upon contact like the cars back on Earth did after he unwittingly activated the Ray Sphere. Pleased at this sign of progress, he climbed in and sat down in the back, facing two empty seats. A few minutes two Jedi climbed in the back across from him, one looking around twenty and the other appearing thirty or so. The driver, a mechanical humanoid another Jedi had explained as being a 'droid', soon lifted the speeder off the ground and flew off.

"So who exactly are you?" the younger Jedi said, fiddling with a strand of his ponytail. Cole noticed the elder Jedi did not have his hair that way: most likely a sign of rank.

"My name is Cole MacGrath," he said, leaning back in the ever-so-enjoyable non-exploding seat. "Who exactly are you two?"

The elder Jedi spoke up. "My name is Obi-wan Kenobi, and this here is my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. So it would seem you have been assigned with us to guard the senator?" he asked, a bemused look etching his features.

"Yes," Cole replied, watching the skyline as speeders flew past. The younger Jedi, Anakin, looked up at his master, a hint of annoyance etching his features.

"I still don't understand why we need his help. What can he do that we can't?" The elder Jedi groaned at Skywalker's rudeness.

"You'll have to excuse my young Padawan; he's a bit brash and, well, undisciplined." Cole shrugged his shoulders at Kenobi's apology: he saw quite a bit of himself in the youth.

"Tell me, Anakin, exactly what can Jedi do?" he asked, wanting further information on the people he had been partnered with.

"Using the Force, we can move objects with our minds, enhance our reflexes to unbelievable levels, heal ourselves at an accelerated rate and read the thought of others, among other things," Anakin replied, looking somewhat smug. "What can you do?"

Cole shrugged his shoulders. "To be perfectly honest, I'm still finding that out for myself." He let the lightning in him dance across his fingertips, giving the Jedi something to stare at. "I cannot be immersed I water. So far, no fall from any height can harm me. It seems the weapons of your world, 'blasters' as I was told, do little to me, if anything. I can rapidly recover from any wound."

He looked down at his hands. "I can tell if someone is an enemy or not. I can follow the 'echoes' of someone's electronic signature. I can pull information from a source; living or mechanical, dead or alive. I can heal people almost instantaneously." He looked back up at the Jedi.

"In short, I can manipulate and generate electricity. I can call down lightning from the sky and cause a lightning-filled tornado. I can glide for short distance, electrically grind on wires and can climb nearly any surface, especially metallic in nature. I can throw electrical grenades and fire off electrical rockets: I can throw out a leash of lightning and either pull myself towards something or pull something my way. I can lift objects with my powers and throw them great distances." He leaned back, waiting for a response from the awed Jedi.

"So," Kenobi spoke up, still trying to find the right words. "Why exactly were you assigned to us?" Cole shrugged.

"I have no idea. I was told I resemble something you call a 'Sith'. Yoda told me this would be something of a test, to prove I am as good as you Jedi." Cole looked up as the speeder came to a stop.

Kenobi spoke up. "Well, it looks like we're here." As they exited the speeder, Cole couldn't help but feel a little inspired by these Jedi. Here were Conduit-like beings that formed an order to protect and serve the public: what was not to like?

"That's not a bad idea," Cole thought as he followed them into a tall building. If there was an order of Jedi, maybe there could be an order of Conduits as well...

"Not likely," he thought as they entered what appeared to be an elevator. "There probably aren't any Conduits in this galaxy."

A few hours later...

Cole had finished his sweep of the upstairs, the sheer openness of the building giving him a sense of unease. Making his way back down to where Obi-Wan and Anakin were, he reported his findings, or lack thereof, to Obi-Wan.

"Well, at least that's some good news," Kenobi said, sitting down on a chair. Cole remained sanding, pacing the room. Anakin was leaning against a wall, his expression dour and his posture tense.

"Why would they want to kill her?" he asked with a hint of anger and worry in his voice. Cole looked up from his thoughts.

"I have no idea: what are politics like these days for you people?" Kenobi shook his head.

"Massive corruption, inflated bureaucracy, and isolation from the people they represent," Kenobi said, rattling them off as he counted his fingers. "It's been that way for a very long time."

Cole shrugged his shoulders: didn't sound too much different from things back home. He kept thinking while Kenobi and Anakin got into an argument, something about a chancellor or something. If the assassin wasn't going to come from the roof or the lower levels, then just how were they going to get in?

A few minutes later, Cole felt something was wrong. Sending out a radar pulse, he saw there were two things in the senator's bedroom that didn't belong there. The Jedi must have sensed it too, for they quickly rushed into the room in front of Cole. Anakin leaped through the air and sliced the two worm-things with his a beam of light emanating from his metallic cylinder.

"Cool," Cole thought. He turned just in time to see Kenobi jump through the window and latch onto the droid that seemed to have delivered the deadly cargo. Anakin rushed past him, shouting something about 'get to the speeder'. Cole hurried off after him, giving a backwards glance at the startled senator.

Both Anakin and Cole jumped into a yellow speeder on the landing deck and zoomed off after Obi-Wan. Cole felt himself holding on more than he would have: the boy was driving like a maniac. Quite understandable; his master could fall at any moment to a very protracted but still painful death.

Zeroing in on the dangling Jedi Master, Cole saw a distant figure blast the droid into pieces, causing Kenobi to fall. Anakin dived after him in the speeder, causing Cole to flip over and tumble into the back seat. Seconds later, they caught Kenobi and continued the chase after the obvious fleeing assassin.

They were speeding by buildings so fast, Cole didn't notice the change in scenery until they flew through some smoke. Blinking his eyes free from the tears, he saw they were in an industrial sector of the city. As they flew towards two posts, the assassin leaned out the window and shot the posts, causing electricity to spark and flow between them.

Anakin just drove through them, earning an angry shout from his master about 'power couplings'. Cole, still a bit disgruntled by the fact he had nearly fallen out, barely felt himself become charged. He did notice, however, a change occur inside of him. He suddenly felt light as a feather, and he had no idea why.

Anakin turned in the wrong direction and stopped to hover over the city, looking around. "Great," Cole thought. "The kid lost that assassin." Kenobi seemed to be sharing his silent sentiment, going into a ramble of 'not thinking' and 'paying attention'. He was surprised when Anakin jumped out of the speeder and landed on the assassin's many yards below. Kenobi let out what Cole could only assume was a swear-word and took over the wheel. As they followed the speeder, a passing ship nearly collided with them, forcing Kenobi to take evasive maneuvers.

Cole had not expected this and tumbled out of the speeder, unnoticed by Kenobi. Free-falling, Cole tried his Static Thrusters again: nothing. He felt the new power struggling to escape, so he let it loose.

Suddenly, he found he had stopped falling: he seemed to be floating in mid-air. Testing an idea, he leaned forward and, to his amazement, he shot forward as if he was propelled by jets.

"Cool!" he shouted, punching his fists into the air. "Now I can finally fly!" With that, he found the disappearing speck of Kenobi's speeder and sped off, absolutely zooming through the air. Within no time, he was flying along the speeder, almost causing Kenobi to lose control of the speeder.

"How in the Force are you doing that?" he shouted. Cole just shrugged in response, too giddy with excitement to explain himself. All that time he had been jealous of Kuo and Nix and their flying abilities: well now he could do it too.

As they zeroed in on the assassin, Cole saw Anakin mess with the pilot area and soon enough, the ship started to go down. He saw the young man's shiny cylinder fly out of his hand, but Kenobi caught it from behind him in a bored manner suggesting he had done this many times before. A minute later, Cole landed next to a burning hulk of twisted metal, looking for the assassin.

Cole looked back to see Anakin and Kenobi approach him. "The assassin went into that bar," Anakin said, pointing one out. "I think it's a shape shifter."

Cole nodded. "I'll cover the back door." With that, they each rushed to their points of contact, with Cole waiting out back by a dumpster. A minute later, Kenobi and Anakin emerged with what appeared to be the assassin, with one notable difference: she was missing an arm.

"Weird," Cole thought as they interrogated her. Before she could finish, a toxic dart struck her in the neck: she died quickly. Quickly turning around, Cole saw a figure fly off into a ship and take off, quickly disappearing from view.

"Damn," he thought, "I'll never be able to catch him." He looked back at the now-dead shape shifter, an idea forming in his head. "There goes that lead: but what about her?" Leaning over the dead alien, he placed his hands on her forehead and concentrated. A blur of images and sounds entered his mind, making it difficult to find what he was looking for.

A few seconds later, he stepped back and looked at the expectant faces of the Jedi. "Well?" Kenobi asked. "What was that all about?"

"Her name was Zam Wessell. She was employed by a bounty hunter with strange looking armor. Why, I don't know," Cole explained. Anakin nodded his head.

"We'll have to report this to the council." Obi-wan nodded.

"I'll report back to them: you two get back to the senator. We have no way of knowing if they'll try to silence her again."

As they flew off for the senator's quarters, Cole couldn't help but think: "This place is getting more interesting all the time."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A/N: The story begins to pick up and I still don' own Star Wars or Infamous.

Several days later, and still guarding the senator, Cole bid Kenobi farewell as he went to follow a possible lead on the attempted assassinations. The senator, whose name he had learned was Padme, was against both the buildup of a military and the splintering of the Galactic Republic.

"I still don't know why we're leaving Coruscant," Cole told Anakin when they were out of earshot. Anakin looked at him, his expression mixed with confusion and discomfort.

"She'll be safer on her planet. Besides, Naboo is far enough from everything that it would be harder to get to her," he explained.

"Well, all right," Cole said. He still felt a strange unleashed power, straining to get out. Maybe if he could have come to this place sooner, he would have been more than powerful enough to finish the Beast.

As Anakin bid farewell to the council, Cole escorted senator Padme to a waiting shuttle. Once inside, he sat down and waited for Anakin to arrive.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Padme asked. Cole shook his head. "Just where are you from?" she continued.

Cole looked at her. "I am from a very far-off planet, one so remote nobody in this entire galaxy has ever heard of it. Personally, I don't really know where I am or what I'm doing here. All I know is I've been assigned to protect you along with Anakin while Kenobi searches for your assassin." Finishing, he looked back out the shuttle's window as Anakin boarded and they took off for the spaceport.

Upon reaching the ship headed for Naboo, they disguised themselves as refugees and boarded the craft. Cole was intent on learning more about this strange world, and that little droid Anakin had might be the best thing to ask. All he needed to do was get a copy of the droid's memory banks, but he had a feeling the droid would want something in return: it seemed to be much more intelligent than it was letting on.

"Maybe I could show him my world," he thought. He knew he could absorb data on the electrical level; the visions and what he had learned from that alien were proof of that. But could he also transmit it as well? A test was needed to find out, but how to proceed was something he had never tried before.

As Anakin and Padme ate some food, Cole finished the stuff on his plate and turned to the droid sitting next to him. "Artoo, could I try something?" he asked, having been told the name of this rambunctious droid by Anakin some time ago. Artoo beeped a questioning sound, his head spinning slightly to face Cole.

"I would like to try and share information on the electrical level. Want to try it out?" Cole asked. Here was a pause, and then Artoo beeped an affirmative response and extended his data plug.

"OK," Cole said, reaching out and grasping the device. "Here goes nothing." With that, he felt an electrical current flow between him and Artoo; never raging, always under control.

A few minutes later, Cole withdrew his hand from Artoo's data plug and sat back. He had never absorbed this much information before: he'd have to sleep to sort most of it out. So he lay down on the couch, quickly falling asleep as Artoo started to sort through all the data he'd received. Artoo, in his own mechanical mind, knew all of this might be very useful someday.

A few hours later...

Cole felt something nudging him in his sleep. Prying his eyes open, he saw Artoo was gently prodding him with what appeared to be a small drill. Another insistent poke made Cole groan.

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" he said, sitting up and putting his head in his hands. He glanced over at Anakin and Padme; they were already standing. His head still felt groggy, but he couldn't place the cause on anything he could think of.

"We're here," Anakin said, picking up one of their bags. Cole, his body mildly protesting the rude interruption of his heavy slumber, got up and picked up another bag.

"C'mon Artoo," he said as the ship came to a complete stop and the ramp opened up. Walking out, Cole blinked in the bright sunlight and felt his jaw drop in amazement.

Naboo was exceedingly beautiful; full of light and life, he could see miles of plains, rivers and lakes. Lush forests seemed to stretch on for just as far, with weird-looking birds darting out from everywhere. In a bit of melancholy remembrance, he thought Trish would have liked it here.

"Now where do we go?" he said, turning around as Anakin and Padme exited the ship with Artoo.

"We go see the queen and inform her of what has happened," Padme said. Following them into what could only be the palace, Cole was under the distinct impression these were a peaceful people. The architecture alone gave a semblance of reason, peace and unity.

As Cole passed what seemed to be maids, he couldn't help but notice the furtive glances and smiles directed at him. Padme and Anakin seemed to notice this too.

"Seems they find him quite handsome," Padme said, pointing out the handmaidens following Cole from a distance. Anakin nodded, but felt a twinge of jealousy: did she feel the same for Cole?

As they entered the main chambers, Cole quickly shut the doors behind him, cutting off the paths of the numerous maidens. He heard several sighs of disappointment through the doors, but nobody tried to open the door.

Turning, Cole overheard snippets of 'Separatists', 'Dooku' and 'safety', but paid them little attention. When they were dismissed from the queen's presence, Cole reopened the doors, only to be buried by a throng of handmaidens who had been obviously pressed against the door. Many of them giggled incessantly, clambering all over Cole while getting up.

When the queen called out to dismiss the maidens, Cole was finally able to get up off the cold ground, a distinct feeling of having been used pervading his thoughts. Brushing himself off, he followed Anakin and Padme out of the palace and to a waiting speeder. Within minutes, they were soaring across the plains, the wind rushing in their ears. Cole took in the beauty of the place. Trish really would have liked it here: of that he had no doubts. It almost reminded him of the time they went camping: Amy and Trish having the time of their lives while Zeke complained about the bugs. Those were the good times, back when life was simple: back when he didn't have powers.

Soon enough, they arrived at a sizeable lake house, the speeder coming to a gentle stop. Cole jumped out and walked inside, his radar pulse showing nobody else was there. He relaxed a bit and helped with the luggage. He felt like taking off his shoes and enjoying the feel of the grass: it was just so peaceful here.

The next few days were a breeze for Cole. He made sure to stay away from the water, but it felt nice to get away from it all. The food was excellent and the weather was very fair: Cole spent most of his time lying out on the grass or racing through the fields. Often enough bird-like creatures would fly alongside him as if he were a kindred spirit: free and happy.

When he was around the other two, something felt different than when he was alone. With his years of experience, and a bit of guesswork, Cole could tell Anakin had a thing for Padme, but was too conflicted to tell her. "He'll learn," Cole thought as he walked through the grounds one morning, the early morning dew beginning to fade from the grass. His comm beeped: answering it, he heard Padme's voice tell him they were going on an urgent trip.

"Where to?" he asked, running inside. Only one word answered him: "Tatooine."

A few hours later...

Cole walked out the spaceship door and was immediately assaulted by the dryness of the planet. It was absolutely nothing like Naboo: the sand and dust was everywhere; in his clothes, in his hair, and even in his shoes.

"I haven't been here for ten minutes, and I already can't wait to leave," he thought as he waited by the ship. Anakin and Padme were talking to some funny-looking alien, but soon walked back to the ship. Within a few minutes, Cole found himself at a small homestead, far outside the city.

Anakin and Padme had exited the ship first, leaving Cole to be suddenly assaulted by a dust devil. He spat out a bit of sand: this place was the pits. Within minutes of meeting the residents and entering the home, Cole could tell something was wrong. As it turned out, Anakin's mother had been kidnapped by some 'Tusken Raiders' a while back. Seeing how Anakin was so determined to find her, Cole decided he would help.

When Anakin's step-brother showed him the place she was taken from, Cole let out his radar pulse. A troupe of rapidly-moving figures showed in his vision, headed into the distance. Cole saw the speeder bike Anakin was on had room for only one person. "I guess I'll fly," Cole said, leaping into the air. Zooming ahead of Anakin, Cole let out frequent radar pulses to know where the tribe had gone.

Within an hour, Cole had located the tribe near a series of plateaus. Standing on the edge, Cole waited for Anakin to catch up. Cole could see the distant figures bustling around the camp, with what looked like large hairy bison encircling the tents.

"Are they superstitious?" Cole asked Anakin, feeling the sand swirl around him. He knew the electrical currents flowing through him could influence other materials, but could this include sand? Cole let out a small burst shaped like a ball: within second, a rotating sphere of sand was resting in his palm.

"Yes, they believe the desert is alive; why do you ask?" Anakin said, giving Cole a confused look.

"I have an idea: I can control the sand through static electricity. When I scare them away, you swoop in and carry your mother to the speeder bike. When you guys are far enough away, light your lightsaber and I'll join you." Cole stood up and stretched his arms: this would uncomfortable.

"What are you going to distract them with?" Anakin asked, hoping his mother was still alive. He had promised himself he would come back for her: his heart would surely break if she didn't make it.

"I'll turn into something that will terrify and scare them off," Cole said mysteriously. Without waiting for a reply from Anakin, he leaped off the Cliffside and soared all the way down into a large sand dune. Anakin blinked in confusion: turn into what? He couldn't tell what Cole was doing far below, but it seemed the sand was swirling around him. Within seconds, he seemed to disappear into the sand itself, with only a slight bump moving across the ground showing his position.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**A/N: I still don't own Infamous or Star Wars. This chapter is also a bit longer: enjoy!**

As he settled down for the night, the sentry guarding the prisoner in the Tusken camp couldn't help but feel anxious. Something was not right in the desert: the sand was moving against the wind and the banthas were stomping and snorting every now and then.

As the twin suns began to dip below the horizon, the noises of the canyon were not as usual. A slithering noise pervaded the area, along with a whisper. The whisper was not of their language: it sounded like the noises the other peoples made.

The sentry turned quickly to see some sand move from beyond the camp. Barking an alarm to two other guards, he watched as they went to investigate. As soon as they reached the point where the sand had moved, something burst forth. It most certainly wasn't a Tusken, and it wasn't something they knew of. They knew everything about the desert: this was not of this world.

A figure enshrouded in sand leaped up, its arms knocking into the chests of his kind. They went spiraling through the air, landing in heaps near the tents. Then the figure soared into the air, its body billowing like a cloak made of sand. It let forth a terrible screech, like the sound of howling winds and sand scraping metal. The skull-like visage showed deep pits where the eyes would be: the cavernous mouth seemed to be a void which nothing could escape.

The Tuskens fled before the specter, leaving one particular tent completely unguarded. They failed to notice a figure creep into the camp and slice open the tent with a beam of light. The Tuskens just kept fleeing before the creature, which swatted away attempts at physical attack like one would brush off a pesky bug. After a minute, the figure in the tent emerged with another figure, carrying it in its arms. It ran over to a strange device and sped off, raising the beam of light once more.

The specter turned at the sight of the light. With one more screech it flew off after the figure, leaving the Tusken camp untouched. The Tuskens peered out from their hiding places and muttered to each other in their garbled language: what had they just witnessed? So began the legend of the Sand Spirit, the 'Demon of the Canyon'.

"I can't believe that worked!" Cole shouted to Anakin over the sound of the speeder bike's engine. They reached the homestead in no time, but Anakin was anything but joyful. His mother was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it. As he lay her comatose form down on a bed, he couldn't help but cry and hold her hand: he had failed her.

"Stand back," Cole said gently, his hand on Anakin's shoulder guiding him away from his comatose mother. Raising his hands and closing his eyes, he released his healing energies to the mother of Skywalker. Her scars began to face; her complexion cleared up. Cole could feel the damage to her organs clear up, the tissue mending itself. When he felt he was done, Cole stood back and let Anakin join her again.

"Mom?" he said, softly rubbing her hand. She slowly opened her eyes and looked into Anakin's, a smile forming on her face.

"Ani?" she asked. "My little Ani?"

Anakin almost choked out the next words: "I'm here mom." With that, he leaned in and gave her a hug, her arms wrapping around his back in a returning embrace. Cole smiled at their reunion and left the room, passing Padme and the family. "She'll be alright," he said, exiting the door. He heard the others rush into the room to join the reunited mother and son.

When he entered the ship, he sat down and put his head in his hands. A great feeling of guilt welled up inside him, threatening to spill over into tears. He had saved Anakin's mother from certain death: why couldn't he have saved Trish?

A beep distracted him: Artoo rolled up to him, an enquiring beep emanating from his dome-like head. "Hey buddy," Cole said, patting Artoo on the dome as the waves of anguish disappeared. "Do you have something for me?"

Artoo displayed a recording. As he watched it, Cole felt his eyes grow in alarm: this was not good. "Anakin and the Council need to know of this," he said, leaping up. He ran out the ship and into the house, meeting Anakin halfway.

"She's sleeping now: you have no idea how thankful I am for you Cole," Anakin said. Cole shook his head: there were more important things going on.

"I'm glad for you, Anakin, but this is an emergency. Your master Kenobi was scouting the Separatists on Geonosis and it seems that he has been captured. We need to inform the council and Padme."

"Certainly," Anakin replied, becoming agitated. "Here are the codes to talk with the Council: I'll inform Padme." With that, they went their ways, Anakin further into the house and Cole back to the ship, passing Artoo on the way.

Reaching the cockpit, Cole entered the codes. Within seconds, several small holograms appeared of the Jedi Council.

"Cole," the dark-skinned Jedi master responded. Cole racked his brains: he remembered the man's name was Windu.

"Masters, I have received word from Kenobi. Here's his message," he said, letting Artoo transmit the data. After several moments, the masters looked at each other, discussing the footage.

"Cole, we will go rescue Master Kenobi. You and Anakin are to stay with the senator: protect her at all costs. May the Force be with you," Windu said.

Cole ended the call and rushed out to the house. Quickly, he informed Anakin and Padme of the Council's decision. What Padme did next Cole did not expect.

A few hours later, Cole couldn't help but grin at the position he was in: if only the headache could disappear. Here he was, sent to protect a senator, and said senator had gone to the planet where Kenobi was being kept to rescue him: a headache wouldn't do them any good. As he exited the ship with a bemused Anakin and determined Padme, he could only hope they weren't too late.

Soon enough, they were split up. Cole had swiped by a large piece of machinery and was sent flying into several generators. His contact caused many of the machines to arc electricity into himself, powering him up. Several blew up, sending him flying next to several bug-looking Geonosians. Lying in the dirt dazed and confused, he barely felt the binders snap onto his wrists. He had the vague feeling of being carried to a floating platform, and then his mind went blank.

Cole woke up to the roar of a crowd. It was as though a thunderstorm had come to life and was cheering simply for the sake of making noise. Opening his eyes, he saw he was attached to a pillar in the middle of a dusty stone arena. Odd: he didn't remember being dragged outside and strung up like a piece of meat at a slaughterhouse.

"Glad you're finally awake," a voice called out. Cole turned his head and saw Anakin chained to another pillar. A few more pillars had Obi-wan and Padme attached to them. "We were worried you'd miss the show."

"Now what's happening?" Cole asked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable: the chains were really starting to cut into his wrists. Anakin shook his head, a look of empathy etching his features.

"We are to be executed," he said, indicating the raised platform at the apex of the arena. Cole looked up and saw several different aliens, alongside one elderly human. The bug-like alien standing next to him shouted to the gathered crowd, earning an enormous cheer.

A great creaking noise caused Cole to look to the other end of the arena. Four doors opened and several creatures strode out, held at bay by electric staffs. From the times he had managed to look at an encyclopedia of the galaxy, Cole recognized the creatures.

There was an Acklay, a Rieek and a Nexu. The fourth creature was coming towards him along with the others, but this one was different. It was a shaved wampa, the drool from its mouth dripping onto the ground. Cole could feel the growl emanate from its throat: he'd have to escape or be eaten for sure.

Feeling his head clear up, he pumped several bursts of electricity into his binders. They exploded from his wrists, flying off in different directions. He looked over and saw the others doing similar things as well. Turning back, he saw the wampa charge him to the roar of the crowd.

Ducking a swift claw swipe, Cole rammed his fist into the wampa's lower jaw. The wampa staggered back, a growl emanating from his bloodied mouth. With a roar, he swung at Cole again and again, missing every time. On dodging one particularly vicious swipe, Cole felt himself jump a good seven feet in the air, his feet grazing the creature's head. The wampa's forward momentum, combined with Cole's slight brush with his feet against the back of the beast's head, sent him straight into the pillar. The stone around the impact point cracked: it had been a hard hit.

Cole quickly jumped on the stunned creature's back. Sending bursts of energy into his fists, he felt his gigawatt blades emerge from his hands. Cole swung down and stabbed the creature in the back repeatedly, earning howl after howl of pain and fury from the beast as its blood flew out. It spun around, sending Cole flying off its bloodied back. Cole quickly leaped up from the ground in time to avoid a hammering blow.

Reaching back, Cole swung his blades into the wampa's gut, causing it to double over. Another swipe of his blades raked the beast's chest, leaving deep furrows. With an almighty uppercut, Cole sent his gigawatt blades directly through the wampa's lower jaw and into his brain. The beast stopped moving and fell over, Cole sidestepping it as it did. He deactivated the blades and looked around.

The nexu was dead, the acklay was wandering around attacking anything near it and his friends were riding the Rieek towards him. As they passed, Cole ran alongside them. Suddenly, they stopped as several rolling droids surrounded them and drew their blasters.

"Uh, now what do we do?" Cole said, looking around him and readying himself to fire. He may not be affected by blaster bolts, but he knew his comrades were not so lucky.

Suddenly, a large number of lightsabers erupted all around the arena, sending Geonosians into flight: the Jedi had arrived. Many leaped down onto the field and rushed towards the droids surrounding Cole and his company.

The entire place soon descended into mass chaos. Cole, thinking quickly, blasted the droids surrounding them, sending electrified pieces everywhere. He saw a large amount of battle droids begin to pour out of gates, flooding the stadium with metal and blaster-fire. Cole watched as Anakin and Padme, now both armed, took cover behind an overturned hover chariot. He saw Kenobi finish off the acklay not far beyond them, his lightsaber cutting it apart.

Running through the stadium, he blasted any droid he came across and made his way towards a gathering group of Jedi. Stopping by one of the pillars, he saw the armored man from before shooting at Master Windu, who was rapidly advancing on the figure. With a snap into his precision mode, he sent a bolt into the man's jetpack. A second later, the man flew into the air in a shower of sparks, careening out of control. He soared behind the lines of Jedi and crashed into the wall, falling unconscious to the ground.

Cole rejoined the group of ever-dwindling Jedi, all backed into a corner by the onslaught of droids. With a flourish, the man at the stadium platform ordered the droids to cease firing. They did so, just as the man demanded the surrender of the Jedi. Cole could hear the condescending nature in his voice and decided enough was enough. Walking past a few of the Jedi to the front, he surged massive amounts of energy into his hands. With an almighty smash, he swung his fists down to the ground.

A veritable wave of electricity rose from the ground, travelling throughout the droid's lines. The surge of power caused the droids to either spark, shut down, or explode into pieces. The man on the balcony ran into the tunnel behind him. Cole turned around to see the shocked expressions upon the faces of every Jedi.

"You never told us you could do that," Windu said, powering down his lightsaber. Cole just shrugged and smiled sheepishly as a noise roared overhead. Looking up, he saw several gunships arrive and land, the opening doors revealing what seemed to be human troops. Several took off their helmets and to Cole's surprise; they all had the same face. Two walked over to the unconscious armored figure and loaded him onto a gunship.

"Clones," he muttered as the Jedi began to pile in the gunships. One gunship was carrying Master Yoda, the little green troll leaning on his cane. Cole boarded this one and wished the others good luck. With a roar of engines, Cole felt the transport fly into the air and take off.

"Now what?" he shouted to Yoda. Yoda shook his head, his long green ears swaying.

"Know not, I do. Still a battle to be won, there is." Cole looked ahead and saw what could only be soldiers firing upon an absolutely massive droid force.

"I think I'll help," Cole shouted. Then, without hearing what anyone else said, he jumped out of the gunship and activated his ionic flight. Zooming up over the battlefield, he hovered for a few seconds before diving straight for the droid lines. Flipping over in mid-air, he let the electrons flow through him as his thunder drop increased in power. A few seconds later, Cole made contact with the ground at the speed of a meteorite strike.

An incredible explosion emanated from his impact point, sending a wall of electricity through much of the droid lines. Everywhere droids and droid vehicles either exploded or went flying, often crashing into each other in mid-air. Cole looks up in time to see numerous droid ships come crashing to the ground: the impact must have spread through the air and shut them down. Several seconds later, more massive explosions filled his view, eliminating even more droids.

Cole stood up and cracked his back as unhurt clone troopers rushed up to him. He looked out and saw there were still quite a few droids left on the battlefield.

Rushing forward, he paused as a gunship dropped of what appeared to be a massive walking tank. He looked ahead and saw a large droid tank with even larger wheels fire a missile straight for the walker.

With a burst of speed, he jumped in front of the missile and blasted it with a shockwave. The missile turned around in mid-air and flew back at the droid tank. Within a few seconds, a satisfying explosion indicated the droid tank was no more.

Cole pressed on, joined by more clone troopers and Jedi as the battle continued. Looking up, Cole saw what a nearby Jedi called a 'droid control ship' was trying to fly into space. Not intent on letting it get away, he swung his arms down and called forth lightning from the sky. It arced all over the ship, causing numerous small explosions and pieces to fly off. It stopped moving and started to descend towards the ground, impacting with a tremendous crash. Less than an hour after the dust had cleared, Cole saw the droids forces begin to retreat: the battle was over.

But he knew the war had just begun.

**A/N 2: In a few chapters, OCs will be introduced and the submission form is under the same crossover category. If you wish to submit a character, just follow the directions.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N: I don't own Star Wars or Infamous.**

Cole found himself standing within the Jedi Council chambers, along with masters Kenobi and Yoda.

"So what happens now?" Cole asked, gazing out of a window. The speeders outside flew past in the glow of Courscant's setting sun.

"Fight a war, we now have to," Yoda said, sitting in his chair. "Win it, we must." He turned to Cole.

"Proven yourself, you have. Time it is, to bestow honors upon you," Yoda said, getting up from his chair. Cole turned around in surprise: honors?

"Kneel please," Kenobi said, leaning against a wall. Cole did so as Yoda walked up to him.

Placing a hand on Cole's forehead, he spoke: "Lead the 21st Legion, you will. To the rank of general, you have been elevated. 'Guardian of Hope', your title shall be. Win this war, without you, we may not." He withdrew his three fingered hand and smiled. "To Kamino, you shall depart. Waiting for you, your troops are."

Cole stood up and bowed before Master Yoda. "I thank you, Yoda. I will not fail you." With that, he nodded in Kenobi's direction and headed off, making his way to the Jedi transport that would bring him to his troops. A great burden had been placed on his shoulders, but he knew he must carry it.

"Are you sure of this?" Kenobi asked as Cole disappeared from sight. Yoda turned to look at him.

"Sure of many things, I am not," he replied, tapping a finger on his cane. "But this I do know: a brighter future, the galaxy has with him. Darkness, the Sith, shall prevail if he falls."

A few hours later...

Cole watched through the view screen as the ship exited from hyperspace. A swirling blue ball of storms covered the entire planet's surface.

"Great," he muttered. "Of all the places I go, it just has to be one covered completely in water."

The ship landed on a soaked platform, the ramp soon extending. Cole strode out, the rain soon pelting his robed form. He felt his head get heavy: the rain was interfering with his powers, regardless of how much the robe was blocking.

Walking through an open door, he took off the robe and looked around. Clean white hallways stretched beyond his sight: a noise made him turn around. A clone trooper, a captain by his markings, had arrived.

"Are you Cole?" he asked, his voice slightly altered by the helmet's speakers. Cole nodded. "Right this way, sir," he said, turning and walking through a door: Cole followed.

Cole entered the room and saw he was in a massive sort of barracks. Thousands of troopers were standing around, cleaning armor and weapons or talking.

"Atten-tion!" the captain shouted. All clones stood up straight, awaiting further orders. "At ease," the captain commanded.

"As you may know, we are shipping out in a week. This man here is Cole MacGrath, our new general. Any questions?" A clone raised a hand.

"Sir," he said, looking at Cole. "Are you a Jedi?"

Cole shook his head. "No, trooper; I am no Jedi. But make no mistake, I can do things no one else can." To demonstrate, he pumped some electricity over his hands.

"Here's the deal: I'm new at this, so for the next week, I'm going to train with you to learn everything there is to be a general."

A week later, Cole found himself on the bridge of his ship, the Beacon. The planet of Ord Janon floated below.

His intelligence officers had informed him the planet was a combination of a staging area and a supply depot for the Separatists. Hundreds of small depots covered the surface, but the big one was located in the northern hemisphere, with heavily wooded areas side-by-side with plains. According to scans, the area immediately surrounding the base was thick with trees and ground foliage.

Cole turned to leave the bridge. The idea was to land a small force of three gunships of clones. He would lead a small assault on the lightly-defended base. The Separatists were too confident about their antipersonnel and anti-vehicle blaster defenses to think Cole could sneak in and shut everything down; permanently.

As Cole entered the hangar, he saw his three gunships standing by; the platoon of clones assigned the mission were standing around them.

"All right, listen up," he said, causing the clones to stand at attention. "Since we are the only ones going in, here's how it goes. The gunships will split up several kilometers out and converge on three separate points. Team A will come from the north, Team B will come from the south, and Team C and myself will attack the east side. I will take out the power supply quietly, so until then, nobody make a move on the depot: understand?"

The clones saluted and boarded the gunships, with Cole quickly joining his ARC captain SH8200, or "Shadow" as he was nicknamed. Cole turned to him as the doors closed and the gunship took off.

"Remember, if we find any Intel of any kind, we must take it. This includes any credits we can take or any troop or fleet positions: got it?" Shadow nodded and checked his gun.

Within a few minutes, Cole found himself moving quickly through the eastern forest towards the Separatist base, closely followed by his troopers. He whispered into his comms: "Teams A and B: what is your position?" Two voices crackled over the comms.

"We are in position, general."

Cole stopped behind a cluster of trees, his troopers stopping alongside him. Cole let out a radar pulse and saw there were three droids patrolling the eastern gate. "Take them out," he whispered, watching as three clones quickly crept up behind the droids. With quick motions, the clones decapitated the droids.

"All right, now it's my turn," Cole said, rushing forward. With a great leap, Cole jumped onto a ledge of the wall and climbed up, leaping from edge to edge. Reaching the top, Cole flipped over and dropped down to the ground, his radar pulse sensing nothing. He ran forward pass what seemed to be large crates.

His radar pulse showed a large energy source behind a deactivated AAT tank. Walking around it, he saw he had found the generator. Rushing up to it, Cole placed his hands on the power supply. Draining the electricity, he saw the lights all around the compound flicker and eventually die. The turrets posted everywhere deactivated.

Cole chimed his comms. "All right troops, the turrets are down: time to take out this base." Blaster shots rang out all around the base: the small droid force was overwhelmed.

Within a half hour, the entire depot base had been taken. Since Cole took out the power, the enemy comms had ceased to work and the bay doors for a small set of starfighters couldn't open. Cole walked around with his captain, discussing what they had found.

"Well," said Shadow, dismissing a demolitions trooper, "We found quite a bit. We've captured ten AAT's, five artillery pieces, a crate of thirty blasters intended for pirates and a series of shipping manifests showing the destination to be Cyphar."

"Anything else?" Cole asked, stepping over the remains of a droid: Shadow nodded.

"We have the fleet locations of several small battle groups in the Outer Rim, along with four more depot locations, designs for a new type of cannon, and a series of credit deposits totaling 50 million."

Cole let out a whistle: that was quite a sum.

"Speaking of credits," Shadow continued. "It seems that one of the aides to the Naboo Senator is funneling credits to the Separatists."

"Really?" Cole asked: Padme had a traitor in her midst? "We'll just have to tell the council after we clear out." Cole turned and saw the gunships he had called for land in the base: a headcount showed him all clones were accounted for.

As they piled in the ships, Cole waited for his demolition teams to all link up on the comms. When the ships had taken off and were high in the atmosphere, Cole gave the order to detonate. Seconds later, a massive fireball emanated from the depot, erasing almost all signs it had even existed.

"Mission accomplished," Cole thought with a smirk. At this rate the war could be over soon, but Cole knew in his heart it would be a long road to victory.

**A/N #2: If any Grievous fans wish to know a bit of plot before it is published, feel free to PM me. Also, the story will stop in a few chapters unless OCs are submitted, so feel free to participate.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Cole once again found himself standing on the bridge of the Beacon. In the following days after the perfect raid on Ord Janon, Separatist chatter had indicated a large deposit of credits was on the planet Anchoron. The army had decided to send several teams of clone commandoes to infiltrate the planet, steal as many credits from the Separatist's coffers as possible, and get out safely. Cole and his ship were to oversee the operation.

Cole watched as the matte-black armored commandoes left on the equally-dark gunships. This night operation was fraught with possible problems: scans and intel had shown much higher security than before, with many places replacing droids with mercenaries. There was a well-armed droid gunship patrolling the area, so the infiltration would need to be very quick as well as silent.

Within a half hour, Cole had received confirmation: the teams had landed safely and the gunships had retreated out of sensor range. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Cole turned away from hologram terminal and went to the main viewport.

"General," a communications officer whispered urgently after running up to him. "We have a problem."

Cole turned sharply to the clone. "What is it?" he asked.

"Our teams have extracted all the funds and were en route to the extraction point when a mercenary patrol ran into them. The firefight has stopped for now, but we have one wounded and the droid gunship is making it impossible to pull them out. Furthermore the mercenaries called for back-up: they have armor en route to the commando's position."

"I'll be right there," Cole said, rushing past the terminals and jumping into the elevator. When it reached the hangar bay, he rushed out.

"Open the bay doors!" he shouted. As the massive doors opened, Cole charged himself with each bounding step. With a super-charged leap, he flew out of the ship and into the lower atmosphere of Anchoron.

As Cole fell towards the ground, he saw the droid gunship hovering far below, searching for the clones. "Time to take it out," he thought, aiming towards it. Doing a flip in mid-air, he executed a thunder drop right onto the gunship. His momentum made his smash right through the ship, ripping through the metal as if it were tissue paper. Seconds later, the spiraling ship exploded.

Soaring down to the ground, Cole landed just as the flaming remains of the gunship fell to the ground. He looked up and saw the commandos emerge from the trees, their dark armor seeming to absorb any available light.

"Everyone here?" he asked, noticing one commando was being supported by two others.

"Yes sir," the lead commando said. "The gunships will be here within a minute, but those tanks will be here before then."

Cole placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of the tanks: you just get your men to the LZ."

As the commandos rushed past, Cole went into the tree line and saw the advancing column of tanks. They were neatly lined up; a fatal decision.

"This'll be easy," Cole thought. Raising his arms, he dropped them, calling forth a lightning storm. The bolts of lightning travelled along the path of the tanks, striking each one with several bolts. One by one, each exploded in a fiery blaze. Within seconds, all the tanks were smoking husks.

Cole turned around and saw the gunships had taken off with the commandos. Leaping into the air, Cole flew up after them. Within a few minutes, Cole had landed back in the hangar bay alongside the gunships.

Entering the bridge a few minutes later, Cole was greeted by his intelligence officer. "What did we get?" Cole asked, walking along the bridge towards the viewport.

"Four hundred million credits, sir," the officer replied. "Along with the location of several galactic banks channeling their funds."

"Excellent," Cole replied. "I will report our progress to the Council."

A few hours later...

"Excellent work, Cole," the Jedi sitting next to Master Yoda commented. Cole believed her name was Luminara Unduli.

"A new assignment, we have for you," Yoda said. "Our guidance systems, a special ore they are made of. Running low, we are in parts of the galaxy. The Separatist planet Oorn Tchis, your next target is."

"What is preventing you from taking it with another army?" Cole asked.

"There are problems on the planet: the miners working the mines have a strictly anti-Jedi philosophy," Luminara said, her brows furrowed in concentration. "That is where you come in: you are not a Jedi, so they should have no problem with you. However, the rather large droid garrison must be destroyed."

"When will we arrive?" Cole asked.

"Within two days," was Luminara's reply, the hologram winking out.

Two days later...

Cole stood upon the surface of the planet Oorn Tchis, his ship having landed only hours before. The command base had been set up and the troops were standing at attention, waiting for him to give the order to march.

"Okay, listen up," he said, his voice amplified over the troops. "This will not be an easy assignment." He pressed a button on the massive hologram projector, showing a huge cross-section of the enemy base.

"This entire garrison is made up of droids, mostly the B1 models. There are three towers," he pointed on the map to three red dots, "here, here and here. Each one has multiple missile launchers, so it would be suicide for any of our tanks or gunships to provide support. The moment we take out those towers, then and only then we can evacuate the wounded."

He pointed to four more points on the layout. "This base has four entrances, with the main entrance across from the large forested area. There is a large clearing between the gates and cover, so we must use whatever cover we can."

He pointed to the artillery behind him. "Our artillery will provide covering fire and will attempt to soften up some of the defenses. The dozen STAPs in the base will be a problem, but I am confident our snipers will take care of those. The biggest threats are the three AATs and the one heavy artillery piece. Those will need to be taken out long before the towers, or else they will tear us to shreds."

Cole drew an outline around each gate. "There are numerous turrets, both automated and manned. Our snipers will need to take any of these out before we can begin any kind of advance. I do not want to see my troopers gunned down in droves before reaching the wall."

Cole shut off the projector and turned back to gaze out over his troops. "All right: move out!" he shouted.

Within half an hour, Cole found himself in the forest near the main entrance to the Separatist base. He gave the order to halt when the main gates opened. The three AATs and several dozen B1 battle droids spread out, all facing the woods where Cole's men had taken cover.

The commander droid raised an arm to stop his troops advance. "Surrender, Republic scum," his droid voice rang out. Cole let a blast from his palm fry the droid. Blaster shots were returned by both sides: the battle had begun.

Almost immediately, droids start taking shots at clones behind the trees and various features obscuring them. A few fell every once in a while, mostly wounded but a few fatally at that. Cole, meanwhile, holed up behind a boulder with Shadow and three rocket troopers.

"We need to take out those AATs!" shouted Cole as the tanks in question opened fire. An enormous blaster bolt collided with a tree, sending a clone and wooden splinters flying.

"General, I have an idea. You and I will provide covering fire for the rocket troopers here. They each have only one shot, so they will shoot the tanks separately. When the first finishes, he will pick up a blaster rifle and continue covering fire. Then the second trooper does the same, and so on."

"I like the way you think," Cole said. "Troops, covering fire!" he shouted, blasting away at any available droid he could see. A cannon blast shot a cloud of dirt over him, yet he and his troops continued shooting. The first trooper leaped up from cover, took aim, and fired. His rocket oared straight into the left tank, obliterating a large chunk of it.

The trooper dropped down, picked up a rifle, and joined the covering fire. The second rocket trooper did the same, his rocket destroying the AAT on the right. Then it was the third trooper's turn.

He jumped up like the others and took aim, firing quickly. Cole saw it a moment before it happened: a blaster bolt was travelling on the same vector as the rocket. Cole ducked as he saw the blaster impact the barely-travelled rocket, causing it to go off. The detonation took the trooper by surprise, with the expanding shockwave flinging him backwards into several bushes.

"We're out of rockets, sir!" Shadow shouted as two clones dragged the injured rocket trooper to safety.

Cole glanced back over the boulder to see the AAT still firing at the tree line, sending bits of dirt and splinters everywhere. A clone flew backwards from the blast, landing hard on a nearby log.

"To hell with this," Cole thought. Leaping up and over the rock, he rushed the AAT, dodging blaster and cannon fire all the way. Leaping into the air to avoid another blast, Cole landed on the tank's chassis, the main turret directly above his head.

Reaching up, he sent a series of cluster grenades down the barrel. Flipping backwards, he used his kinetic pulse to lift the tank, and with a mighty blast, sent it flying towards the main gate. He stood there and watched as the tank impacted the gate: seconds later, his grenades went off, ripping the tank and a massive section of the garrison wall apart, completely obliterating the gate as well.

Cole noticed the wall turrets had ceased firing: must have taken out a power source. "Advance!" he shouted, rushing towards the opening. His troops quickly followed him, blasting whatever droids presented themselves as targets.

Cole and Shadow, along with several other troopers, took cover behind the two out of commission AATs.

"Sir, those towers are still standing and the other platoons are taking casualties: what do we do?" a comms trooper enquired. Cole looked thoughtfully at the tank, and then glanced at the trooper.

"Tell them to stay put: the towers will soon be out of commission." Reaching to a panel, Cole felt the still-working tank's power core giving off energy. Reaching out with one hand, he sent off a Tesla Missile towards the first tower.

Unluckily for the droids, stacks of missiles make excellent targets. Cole sent the missile directly into the pile of explosives: seconds later, a massive explosion signaled the tower had been destroyed. Cole heard a large secondary explosion: it seemed the large amount of debris had landed on the artillery piece. Cole fired two more Tesla Missiles, and in turn both remaining towers went down.

"Call in the armor and gunships," Cole said, turning back to his comms officer. "Tell them we need support and we have wounded to evacuate."

Cole peeked around to see his troopers continuing to advance, but at a frustratingly slow pace. Just then, a streak flew through the air and landed inside the base: the artillery was opening fire.

"Excellent," Cole thought as he made his way to the wall, with several clones and Shadow following him.

"All right, here's the plan," Cole said. "I will raise a polarity wall and rush in, drawing their fire. You will follow in behind me and shoot any droid you see."

"Sir," Shadow said. "What is a polarity wall?"

"Think of it as a shield made of electricity that nothing can pass through," Cole said. He gave a countdown on his fingers: "Three, two, one, GO!"

He rushed in and threw up is wall, absorbing bolt after bolt of energy. His troops rushed in behind him and fired like mad, taking out a dozen droids in a few seconds. More and more of his troops rushed in as several gunships flew overhead and zapped lines of droids. Cole heard a shout of pain as a trooper was hit, but pressed the attack.

Cole saw his troops breach all sides of the base: clones just pouring in through gaping holes in the wall. The droids were overrun within minutes, and all were destroyed.

Cole watched the cleanup as his troops carted away thousands of droid pieces to piles of junk. He turned and walked towards the makeshift hospital caring for the few soldiers not yet transported to the medical center aboard the Beacon.

"Shadow?" he said in disbelief, looking down on the badly injured captain. The clone medic looked over.

"He's been hit several times, sir and he likely won't make it." Cole shook his head.

"We'll see about that: stand back, soldier." As the medic backed away, Cole fed his energy into the palms of his hands. Placing them on Shadow's head and chest, he let it flow out from him and into Shadow. As the injuries healed, Cole felt emptiness in Shadow: a deep hole needing to be filled. He poured some of his energy into it as well, feeling it grow until it was filled.

Cole stood back: after a few seconds, Shadow sat up and looked around. "Thank you, sir," he said, seemingly at a loss for words. "It was nothing," Cole replied.

An hour later...

Cole looked out from the bride of his ship as they left the planet's surface. Over three hundred of his troops had died and nearly one thousand more had been wounded. One tank had taken some damage from a surprise rocket from a still-functioning B2 droid, and one gunship had crashed after the pilot was sniped by a droid.

Another legion had taken place as garrison duty for the planet. It seemed the Confederacy were too preoccupied in other parts of the galaxy to worry about Oorn Tchis, so for the time being, the garrison had little to worry about.

Cole went back to his quarters and laid himself down. "This war is growing," he thought, knowing the reports from other sectors weren't the whole picture. "I may possibly be the most powerful being in the galaxy, but even I can't fix this on my own. I need help, but who do I turn to? There are no other Conduits..."

His thoughts trailed off as he rolled over and fell asleep. Little did he know, things were about to change: for him, the war, and the entire galaxy.

**A/N: I need only a few more OCs submitted to complete the next chapters, so submit if you have an idea. After about three more I'll be finished with them and the story will continue with no foreseeable interruptions.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**A/N: I don't own Infamous or Star Wars**

So the weeks passed, and Cole's skill as a commander grew, along with his fame amongst the public and the troops. A general always leading from the front lines and willing to risk his life for his troops? Very few generals on both sides were as committed as he.

His ship partook in devastating raids on the Separatist shipyards at Mintooine and Jaemus. He attacked numerous pirate bases and intercepted many ships with Separatist cargo. One such shipment, a delivery of starfighters from Valahari, held a wealth of information. Cole decided, partly as a publicity stunt and as a strategic strike, to attack the Separatist planet of Pzardias. A Separatist training facility had a prison addition that Cole felt like freeing.

Once again, he and three squads of clone commandos would go in, but there was one major difference. The clones would take out the training facility: Cole would deal with the prison.

Flying down in one of the gunships, Cole turned to the commandos. "You all know the plan?" he asked.

"Affirmative," they replied.

As Cole hopped off the gunship, he felt the slight breeze ruffle his clothes. The gunship took off, leaving him in the middle of a field, alone and unnoticed.

Cole carefully made his way to the prison, a large building standing out amidst the peaceful grasses of a large meadow. Cole quietly crept through the long grass, his radar pulse showing only two guards near the entrance. He ignored them: the grate near the third floor of the building was his main focus.

Climbing up quietly when the guards had moved out of sight, he ever-so-slowly opened the grate and slid inside. When he dropped down into a hallway, he saw there were no cameras: lazy droids.

Making his way, he felt the power from the room trail off into the distance. His radar pulse showed a room with a heavy sealed door: likely the control room, due to the dozen droids inside.

Leaning against the wall, he wondered what he should do. "I know," he thought. Placing a sticky grenade, he slowly traced an outline on the door, with lines leading out from the center. Jumping back, he waited for a second before the grenade detonated, blasting the door inwards. He ran in, pumping bolts into the few remaining droids.

Col ran up to what could only be the control console. The cell door controls were easy to spot: a giant red button. "Can't anyone ever think of something original?" he thought as he activated it. He spoke into the comm system as he heard doors open all over the facility.

"My name is Cole MacGrath, general of the Republic. I have come to free you: meet me at the main entrance. Those who cannot walk, please have someone assist you."

Running back out, he heard clamoring all over the prison, the thundering of footsteps sounding off throughout the place. Ending at what could only be the main entrance, Cole opened it and saw the two droids waiting for him. He let out a graviton blast, shoving the droids into the air, where they were ripped apart by the sudden acceleration. Cole turned back to see the prisoners walk out.

The man in the lead, hunched over as if from some injury, clasped Cole's hands. "Thank you," he said, his frail voice conveying the deepest gratitude. "Their experiments were rather harsh." Cole let out a radar pulse to check their injuries.

Cole stood back in shock: this man and all of the former prisoners behind him were this galaxy's version of a Conduit. Just how in the hell did they carry a similar gene?

Cole turned his head at the sound of a beep from his comlink: the commandos were back.

He walked up to the sergeant, glancing over his shoulder at the potential Conduits.

"Call in the gunships: we have what we came for." With a nod, the captain patched through to the Beacon. Minutes later, Cole saw the specks grow larger until the gunships had landed. Piling on with everyone else, Cole waited until the last passenger had left before detonating the explosives. A massive blast emanated from the training facility in the distance. He watched as the bleak building that was the prison became smaller and smaller, until the speck vanished from his sight.

The bay doors closed, cutting off his vision. He felt himself start to become lighter. As Cole felt the ship finally exit the atmosphere and head towards the waiting Beacon, a startling thought crept into his mind.

Could he form an Order of Conduits?

An hour later...

Cole turned off the holocom, having just finished his conversation with Masters Yoda and Windu. The report was not well: nearly an entire fleet of clones had been destroyed at Merson from faulty intel.

"I need to check on those Conduits," he thought, making his way to the medical facility. The majority of the prisoners looked up when he walked through the sliding doors.

"I'm not exactly sure how to explain this," Cole began, scratching his head. "But each of you has great potential. Those things you saw me do? Each of you has the ability to do the same, but I need to unlock them."

Cole put his hands behind his back. "This galaxy is being further torn apart by this war. If you will let me, I will try to unlock your powers. If I do, will you join me to create and order to help re-establish peace and order in the galaxy?"

There was a pregnant pause, and then one Zabrak spoke up. "What would you have us do?"

Cole smiled in relief. "If I'm going to unlock your powers, we are going to need a safe place where you can all experiment with what you have. Be warned," he said, his expression darkening slightly. "These powers are not playthings: your decisions influence everything about them. We are not better because of them: we are to use them for good."

Cole turned on his comlink. "Captain," he said. "Set course for Carida: I will be busy there for three weeks. Contact the Jedi Council and tell them to patch through to my chambers."

Cole turned to leave, but looked back at the group of potential Conduits. "Get some rest and recover: the next three weeks will be very exhausting."

Cole left the room and eventually made it back to his personal quarters. Soon enough, a beep signaled his hologram turning on, and Master Yoda appeared.

"Cole, received your message, I did," the diminutive Jedi said. "News, what bring you?"

"I have found Conduits, Yoda," Cole said. "Beings like me," he quickly added, noticing the slightly confused look on Yoda's face.

"I have an obligation to them to bestow upon them powers like mine; but in order to do that I will need to take them to a planet suited for training soldiers that has adequate medical facilities. I have chosen Carida, but I will need to leave my troops for about three weeks."

Yoda said nothing for several minutes. "Unsure of this, I am," he said. "But trust you, I do. Very well: send a replacement, to your troops, I will."

"Thank you, Yoda," Cole said. Yoda nodded and turned off his hologram projector, leaving only a blank screen. Cole turned his off as well and felt his head become heavy. "Must have entered hyperspace," he thought, before slumping over onto his bed, completely unconscious.

One day later...

Cole woke up and found a series of messages on his comlink. It seemed as though he had been out cold for a while.

"Must be the hyperspace travel," he thought. Making his way back up to the bridge, he found his captain conversing with several gunship pilots.

"Sir," he said, standing at attention before Cole. Cole motioned for him to be at ease.

"I will be gone for about three weeks, captain," Cole said. "Be sure to behave yourselves around your replacement. Hopefully things won't get too bad before I get back."

The captain smirked. "We'll try not to get in too much trouble, sir. Twenty-One Gets It Done, after all," he said.

Cole motioned for the clone pilots to come with him. Within minutes of arriving at the hangar bay, Cole found the Conduits waiting by the gunships.

"Take us to the planet's surface," Cole said, nodding to the pilots. Within minutes, they had taken off and were travelling towards the ground. Soon after, Cole found himself alone with the Conduits in a field; his gunships disappeared into the sky and the Beacon soon winked out of sight.

He turned back to the group. "Before I do anything," he said, his voice easily heard. "I need you all to solemnly swear that you will use whatever powers you have for good: never for evil and selfish impulses."

A steady chorus of agreements reached his ears. "Excellent. Get to know each other for a bit: I still need to find a way to make this work."

As the group milled about, Cole sat on the grass and closed his eyes. Amidst his thoughts, a particular phrase floated in his mind: "The past holds the keys to the future."

Cole searched within himself for an answer: how in the world could he give out powers?

Then a thought struck him: when he was fighting the Beast, a shard of the behemoth had flown out and struck Cole. Remembering the impact, he realized the power of the Beast had been absorbed by him upon the impact: he could bestow Conduit abilities.

Standing up, he felt a bit uneasy: would the activation kill someone? Or worse, cause an incredible amount of destruction?

Pushing such thoughts aside, he called out and had the group form a loosely-organized circle around him. In the center, Cole pressed both hands together and let the energy build. He could feel the power of the Beast coursing into the lightning ball he was making, but something felt different: it felt tamed, as if leashed.

When he felt he could no longer hold in the power, he let go: a cascade of energy, visible and invisible, flowed out from him. All around, the Conduits started to falter: several fell over. When the energy ceased to expand, Cole dropped to his knees: that had taken a lot of power.

Looking around him, he saw the others start to fall asleep. Pressing a series of buttons on his comlink, Cole watched as several large, red speeders rolled over the hills and stopped around the group. A series of medics, both mechanical and organic, gently picked up the Conduits and loaded them into the vehicles. Cole was carried to a front seat, where he stayed awake all the way to a large medical facility.

He made his way to his bed as the last of the Conduits were brought in. "Be sure to monitor them all," he told a doctor waiting on a black-furred Shistavanen. "Wake me when most of them are awake and starts doing things many would consider impossible."

With that, Cole fell upon his bed and within minutes was fast asleep. All he could see in his dreams was a towering nameless figure, lightsabers drawn and a pair of cold, yellow eyes. Cole could sense a great rage coming off of the armored figure, but also, strangely, great sorrow and pain. "Who is this?" he thought.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is all exposition and character introduction. The next chapter will be action-packed, I promise! Also, I don't own Infamous or Star Wars.**

Cole felt a gentle prodding in his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw a medical droid waiting for him.

"Doctor Seenol is waiting for you sir," it said, the voice modulator giving it a soothing tone of calm professionalism.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked. His head felt as though a clamp had been attached and continually tightened for hours upon hours.

"About three standard days sir," the droid responded.

Cole raised an eyebrow: no wonder he felt so sore. The last time he had slept three days was when Zeke had thrown a huge party in their apartment after graduating high school. All those drinks had really taken their toll on his body: he could still taste the vomit in the back of his throat.

Cole followed the droid to a room where the doctor was examining what looked to be several x-rays. Cole couldn't help but marvel at how similar this highly advanced society was compared to the one he left behind on Earth.

"Has anyone woken up yet?" Cole asked, draining a bit of power from a nearby socket. He felt the tension in his muscles fade and his strength spike: wouldn't do the Conduits any good if he was too tired to train them.

Doctor Seenol turned to him, dismissing the droid with a wave of his hand. "About half have woken up, but many only started displaying strange abilities a few hours ago. Come with me, please."

Cole followed the doctor through several doors until they reached what seemed to be an observation platform. The window showed a yard with several of the Conduits either walking around or experimenting with their powers.

"Normally we use this area for patient rehabilitation," Seenol explained, going over some notes upon a nearby desk and adjusting his glasses. "In the case of your 'Conduits', as you called them, we deemed it the most suitable place for them to be removed from unfamiliar surroundings." He turned back to Cole. "Now what will you do?" he asked, his fingers tapping on some documents.

Cole looked away from the window. "I must leave and show them how to properly control their powers," he said. "They will all grow stronger over time and with training, I can give them something I didn't have: a supportive group." Cole bid the doctor goodbye and made his way to the yard.

As he walked through the doors, Cole stopped and took in the sight before him. The Shistavanen from before was moving the ground around him like it was water. He would make little pebbles rise into the air and send them zooming around.

A nearby Trianii was floating slightly with a look of both pleasure and uncertainty as he tried to remain balanced. The cat-like being's fur bristled with the movement of the air: he would probably be able to fly.

"Hello everyone," he said, noticing how several Conduits were startled at his approach. He'd have to teach them situational awareness: it did no good to be unobservant of your surroundings. "You are no doubt testing your abilities: this is good," Cole said, striding among the group. "However, you will grow exponentially more powerful in the coming days and through much practice. I hope to train you to use your full potential for good: any questions?"

A large human, a good two meters tall at that, stood up. "How will we train, sir?" His voice gave a distinct impression of military professionalism: a former soldier or officer, perhaps?

Cole nodded in his direction, receiving a curt nod in reply. "First off, we will need to split you all up into groups depending upon the type of power you have. I would like those who can manipulate natural objects over there," he pointed. "That includes those who influence fire and air." A small group formed up, including the Shistavanen and Trianii, the cat and dog-like pair sharing an uneasy glance between them. The Zabrak from before stood near the back of the group, his posture relaxed.

"Over here I want weather-based and those who can control natural forces," Cole said. Several beings, including some recent arrivals, joined up. The former soldier stood among them, his stiff frame towering over several smaller Conduits.

"Over here," Cole said, motioning to a lone Anzati. "Those with mental and purely physical abilities can stand over here." The Anzati stayed where he was while several more Conduits, including a Wookiee and an Arconan, walked over to him.

Cole decided any further distinctions would be based solely upon how the individual responds to and uses their powers. He gave each group a set of things to practice on while he taught individual groups about their powers and helped them understand what they could be used for. His first stop was with the group who influenced physical objects.

"Please sit," he said, sitting down in an informal position. The others did as they were told, spreading out in an informal semi-circle. "First things first: we introduce ourselves. My name is Cole and I can control electricity," he said, nodding to the next Conduit to his right.

"My name is Remm daTana Shova," the Shistavanen said. "And I seem to be able to control soil and minerals."

The Trianii was next. "I am Kilrii Ne'Hando, and I can control the air," he said, his tail swishing back and forth. He nodded to the Zabrak next to him.

"I am known by the name Masej Frob," he said. "I can control fire." He nodded to a very weird-looking insectoid with many eyes.

"My name is Saleminos," he replied, his eyes seeming to focus on everyone at once. "I can control ice, it would seem."

Cole nodded his head. "I knew someone who could do the same thing, though her powers were forced upon her, while yours were unlocked."

A Jawa spoke next, his voice surprisingly clear considering his species was not known for clarity. "My name is J'on Sladezer. Although I am not exactly sure how I do this, it would seem I have the ability to manipulate darkness, shadows and even move through them." His tone of voice suggested superiority, even joy at his type of powers.

Cole nodded, unsure of how else to respond. The Jawa's voice was cut from a rough life living on the edge and hardened by greed; he would likely have to watch out for this one.

"How are we to know the extent of our abilities?" Kilrii asked, the whiskers on his face twitching.

Cole shrugged his shoulders, glad for an excuse to not talk about the Jawa. "Personally, the only thing I know for sure is you should have complete control of your powers within two weeks, with further training and practice increasing the limits later on. As I've seen, the limit of one's power depends entirely upon who wields it: some are stronger than others."

After finishing up explaining the difference between good choices and selfish ones, Cole left the group to discuss amongst them how to proceed with their training. He walked over to the group who could manipulate and enhance their own bodies. This group was smaller than the others, for some reason.

The Wookiee and Sauvax sat next to each other, with the Arconan sitting slightly farther away from everyone else.

"What is it you can do?" Cole asked. The Arconan responded first, her voice slightly raspy in nature.

"I am Nikaala Grodon and I can shift my body to become any shape," she said, her facial features swirling. Within a few seconds, Cole found himself looking back at his own face. She also formed a pair of blades where her hands had been before, indicating she would be far from helpless in a fight.

"Interesting," Cole replied, slightly creeped out by his own image. He turned to the Anzati and nodded.

"I am Disreous Be-jab," he replied. Without saying another word, everyone else heard what he was thinking. "And I have telepathy."

"That is good," Cole thought back, remembering how Sasha's tar could connect her brain with those of the infected. "Hopefully we can find some use for you; that is a rare power, from what I know." He turned to the Sauvax and gestured for him to go.

"I am Traaka," he replied, his deep voice seemingly reverberating throughout the group. "I have become incredibly strong, and it would seem my scales have hardened to an extremely resilient density."

"So this guy is like a tank," Cole thought. "Well, I'll be sure to show you how to handle some things," he replied.

The Wookiee made a series of grumbles, levitating a few rocks and a twig in front of him. Cole was confused; he couldn't speak Wookiee.

"He says his name is Worlbeeys, he can move objects with his mind and can sense the feelings of others," the Arconan replied. "He also said something of shifting into a mist, but he doesn't want to talk about it."

Cole understood, though he was thankful Nikaala understood Wookiee. Sometimes a Conduit's power could feel overwhelming to the user.

"I cannot help you like the others," Cole said. "If you wish to enhance and expand your powers, you must speak with me about self-control, since I do not have powers like you."

Traaka and Worlbeeys nodded, but Nikaala seemed to be anxious for something. "Sir," she began.

"Call me Cole," he said, not wanting them to instantly think he believed himself to be superior to them. If he was to build an order, it would have to be on equality, not strength or power.

"Cole," she continued. "I did not see your rescue of us as I was unconscious and was carried out. I was wondering if you could show me some of your power."

Cole was not surprised; some were skeptical of what he could do, even amongst those who had met him. "Sure," he said, pumping a bolt onto his arm. The Arconan's eyes widened at the site, but a sigh indicated she had just wanted to see his power for herself.

Cole smiled and bid them farewell, finally making his way to the last group. The tall military man sat down last, his frame still slightly taller than the others.

Cole had already met with the others, so Trionis was his only reason to stop by.

"So what can you do?" Cole asked. The man stiffened and looked up at the sky.

"My name is Trionis Dejar, and I can control the weather in all its forms," he said. As if to demonstrate he made a swirling gesture with his hands and a rainbow formed in the clouds overhead.

"...Interesting," Cole said, not wanting to hurt the guy's feelings. "With some training, I bet you could clear or create storms without difficulty."

"I look forward to enhancing my skills," was his curt reply. Seeing there was nothing else to do, Cole stood up and called out to all the Conduits.

"We will begin training near the mountains and make our way to the seas through the plains. Those who wish to learn the most will need to be ready for anything."

The three weeks passed quickly. Some developed their powers much more quickly than others, but in the end most were on the same page. After that, Cole could do nothing more for them: only they could grow in strength through their own actions.

On the final day of the three weeks, Cole gathered them in an informal meeting. In the middle of the plains was a smooth dome-like rock he had carved with their logo; a fist holding a lightning bolt.

"From henceforth, I induct all of you into the Order of the Conduits," he said, his voice ringing across the plains. "We will be a beacon of light and liberty for all those in need. Our powers are great, but our responsibilities are greater. From now on, we shall control our destiny."

Cole left them and walked up to his shuttle waiting for him. As he walked inside, he turned once again to face the Conduits and shot forth a triumphant bolt of lightning into the sky.

A great cheer rose forth from the crowd, spreading across the long grass like a wildfire. The Order of the Conduits had been born.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**A/N: Here it is: the action-packed chapter I promised! Enjoy!**

Cole boarded the transport ship heading for the supply depot his troops were currently stationed at. He had told the Conduits to think of a place that would be suitable for a base of sorts: Cole felt like they should have a place to call home if they needed to. With some luck, they would further expand their powers and grow into their roles as peacekeepers. In the back of his mind, he foresaw his Order of Conduits becoming similar to the Jedi Order, with a few very considerable changes.

Cole arrived within two days, out cold for most of the trip due to what he concluded to be the hyperspace travel. He believed the hyperspace affected his brain waves and powers, but not in a lethal way. Still, Cole felt he should never stay in hyperspace for too long. He still felt groggy as he boarded his ship through the main hangar on a supply gunship.

He almost immediately heard the chatter among the troops; something big was going to happen. A few salutes here and there assured him it was still his ship and these were still his troops.

After Cole reached bridge and was greeted by another hail of salutes, he received his answer. "Sir," Captain Shadow said. "We've received our new mission: we are to help five Jedi and their armies take Hypori."

"When do we leave?" Cole asked. In the back of his mind, he remembered the dry planet Hypori was held by the Separatists and droid factories happened to be there as well. Hopefully things wouldn't go too badly.

"Within the hour, sir," Shadow replied. He gave a few instructions to a few waiting troopers and followed Cole, his armor polished to a fine sheen. Shadow never let his armor stay dirty for long, but even now it seemed they hadn't done much during Cole's absence.

"Sir," he said, his buzz cut hair becoming visible as he removed his helmet and tucked it under his arm. Even though Shadow was a clone, he seemed to embrace an air of informality in his posture when his helmet was removed. "I've been meaning to ask: how soon do you think this war will end?"

Cole shook his head: "Not soon enough, I'm afraid." Cole didn't want to point it out, but if everyone's hopes were riding on him raising an army of super-powerful Conduits, they would be sorely disappointed. It had taken time to train them, and time was one thing they did not have much of in this war. They weren't invincible either, just as he suspected a large portion of the public believed him and Skywalker to be.

Cole looked out of the bridge window less than an hour later and silently watched as the stars transformed into streaks of light: they had entered hyperspace. Luckily for him, the trip would be shorter than the others, so they would reach their destination within four hours instead of days. Cole immediately began to feel light-headed again, but he managed to bear the pain for the four hours. As they neared the destination, he felt a sudden sense of unease, but then something happened that only confirmed his feelings.

With a jerking motion, the Beacon exited hyperspace to the blare of alarms and an overall shaking of the entire ship. Cole grabbed the nearest surface he could to not fall forward like several of his bridge staff. The planet of Hypori loomed in their view-screen, but so did something else, something that he had not expected.

"Sir!" a comms officer shouted. "We're being fired upon!" A bolt whizzed past the view-screen, adding validity to his claim. The fuzzy image was soon clearing, as was the ringing and cloudiness in Cole's brain.

"Where the hell are they?" Cole shouted as another blast rocked the ship: Cole swore he felt the engines rumble in an ominous way. An officer tripped on something and fell over a chair.

"It's a Separatist cruiser!" another officer shouted, pointing it out near the corner of the view screen. An explosion near the back of the ship caused a massive rumble to reverberate throughout the Beacon. The Munificent-class Separatist ship kept blasting away, its guns pouring fire into the Beacon's hull. Another massive rumble made the ship shudder as if gripped by a massive, unseen hand.

"Our engines are out!" shouted the officer. "We have no control!" A series of smaller explosions nearly threw everyone in the bridge onto the floor. The ship itself started to tilt forward towards the planet Hypori.

"We're going to crash on the planet!" Shadow shouted as he and several pilots staggered through the door. "I just got back from the hangar; it's been closed off by debris. We can't evacuate!"

A clone technician relayed even worse news. "Sir, the relay signal to the escape pods has been damaged; there's no way to launch them!" Another set of explosions rocked the front of the ship.

Cole stood up; now was a time for action, not panic. "Pilot," he said, looking at the clone on Shadow's left side. "Can you steer this ship?"

"Yes sir," he said, taking over the console of the unconscious former pilot. The other pilots joined him, working in sync to land the ship. They had already passed out of the Separatist's firing range, but the planet was looming closer and closer. Cole had no idea what to do; the only plan he could think of was beyond crazy.

"I'll try to stop it from the outside," Cole told his officers as they completed the entry into the atmosphere. It seemed they didn't know what to say; how in the world was he going to stop the ship?

Cole ran down the hallways towards the hangar, only to be thrown backwards by an explosion. Several shards of metal pierced his skin, drawing blood. Getting up, he saw the blast had torn a hole in the ceiling, revealing the sky flying past him. He nonchalantly pulled the shrapnel out of his body, including a foot-long metal sliver embedded in his forearm.

"Ouch," he thought as he threw the piece aside, the shard slick with his blood. He had always been glad his powers accelerated tissue repair and dulled pain, but still; he wasn't immune to it. His wounds closed before they even had a chance to bleed, but that was not his main concern. The Beacon was going down, and he needed to do something about it.

"Here we go," he said, bracing himself against a wall. Jumping up, Cole let himself be sucked out through the hole and found himself falling alongside the ship. Another explosion sent him flying away and unwittingly he executed a thunder drop. Hitting the ground much sooner than the ship would, he looked up and saw the Beacon streaking overhead.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered. Aiming for the nose of the ship, he launched a super-charged lightning hook, trying to slow the ship down. All that happened was that he was yanked forward at an incredible velocity, dragging after the ship like a string on a crashing kite. The ground scraped against him as dirt and rocks pelted his frame. Several bulbous plants exploded upon contact with his rapidly-moving body.

"Aw crap!" he shouted, managing to bring himself to his feet and literally ski behind the falling ship, shaking off several plants remains on his face. Looking around, he saw a large series of rock towers to his left. Aiming with his other arm, he let out another super lightning hook, latching onto a large rock face. A few seconds later, the rock tore away from the ground, leaving Cole with no anchor.

"I guess I'll have to that again!" Cole shouted to himself. He rapidly began firing off more and more hooks, feeling the Beacon slow down slightly each time he connected with one. But each time he connected, it broke: there had to be a better way. The massive ship was going to crash badly if he didn't do something.

Cole aimed his hand at a series of larger rock formations and fired off what would have seemed to be one very large lightning hook to any observer. When it was within a few hundred feet of the formations, the lightning hook split off into hundreds of individual strands and latched onto numerous surfaces. Suddenly, Cole felt the speed of the Beacon decrease substantially, but the inertia was going to tear him in half if he didn't let go quick enough. With one last effort, he let go of the Beacon in time to see it strike the ground from a much shallower angle than it would have without his help.

The ship plowed through the ground, eventually coming to a stop near a series of bluffs. Cole flew over to the ship to inspect the damage, clearing debris out of the way as surviving clones exited the ship.

The news wasn't good: all of the engines had either been destroyed or were completely useless. The hangar bays had been cleared and turned into a makeshift hospital, since the medical bay had turned into one big pile of junk. The power core was still intact and many of the ship-based weapons on board were still functional, but the comm system had taken severe damage and would take days to fix. Cole had no doubt the Separatists were on their way right now to finish the job. Over three hundred clones were dead or wounded; many of them support personnel and officers.

Cole and the surviving officers began to set up a defensive perimeter around the ship with the largely-intact fighting force of clones. Most of the gunships and tanks had survived, but half of the artillery was gone and only a dozen or so speeder bikes remained for reconnaissance. Cole had set up a temporary headquarters in the bridge, where he and Shadow were discussing what to do next.

"We've already set up camp and the patrols have showed no signs of the enemy yet," Shadow said, pointing out the lines on a makeshift map to Cole. "We have scavenged armor plates from the ship to form makeshift bunkers and trench walls. Our artillery spotters above us will give a signal to fire flares if the enemy is approaching." He pointed to two lines signifying the canyon walls the Beacon was resting within. "The gaps here are too narrow for a large droid force to pass through: the funnel we've created will drive them right towards us. The crossfire from several of those bunkers will ensure many droids never reach our lines."

Cole looked out the window to see Hypori's sun set below the horizon, the glare slowly dimming with each passing minute. Just because the droids couldn't flank his soldiers didn't mean they couldn't be overwhelmed. "How long do you think we have?" he said, his hands clasped behind his back.

Shadow shook his head. "Not nearly enough time to turn this place into the fortress it could be." He pointed out further lines on the map. "I don't think the ship will ever fly again: if we survive this, maybe we should turn the Beacon into an entire base camp for future operations."

The twilight faded to a shimmering sparkle of atmospheric interference as the sunlight finally receded. With the inky blackness of night came the possibility none of them would live to see another sunrise. They were heavily outnumbered and had no way to call for help.

Cole looked up out of the bridge and smirked. "Well, at least we have one thing," he said.

"What would that be, sir?" Shadow asked. Cole turned to face him, the flickering light of a makeshift lamp casting shadows onto his features. If Shadow hadn't known better, he would have thought Cole was a demon.

"Me," he said, a smirk shaping his mouth. "There's a storm coming, and I hope those droids are ready for it." Shadow smiled and placed his helmet back on, the black visor cutting off his eye contact with the general.

"We'd better get some shut-eye, sir: no sense passing out from exhaustion when the enemy shows up."

Each lay down on their makeshift beds, neither daring to voice what they knew the other was thinking. Cole's mind became unfocused as he drifted off to sleep; a dreamless sleep.

Within two hours, an alarm sounded in the night. Cole's eyes shot open, his mind becoming quickly focused. Jumping to his feet from the bed, he rushed to the observation window to see several flares arcing through the sky. Shadow rushed up next to him and peered through his night-vision equipped helmet.

"They're here," Cole muttered, his voice filled with dread and anticipation. He sprinted through the ship, closely followed by Shadow and a group of troopers.

"I want snipers up on the bridge," Cole shouted as they rushed into the hangar. Several scout troopers nodded and split away from the group, headed for the bridge. "Rocket troops, I want you by the turrets on the ship: take out any tank you can and stay behind cover." The rocket troops turned around a corner and exited a convenient hole leading to the hull. Cole looked back at Shadow. "How are the bunkers built around the artillery?"

"They will hold for a while, but not indefinitely," Shadow said as he picked up a blaster rifle and loaded it. A trooper a few yards down threw a thermal detonator through an opening: seconds later a large explosion rocked the droid lines. "What about the gunships?" Shadow asked, his rifle rapidly pumping bolts into the enemy as he ran along an exposed corridor.

"I don't want them exposed until we're sure they will meet no starfighters: we only have a few dozen fighters to spare," Cole said. As they rounded a corner, an explosion tore a hole in the wall ahead of them, knocking several leading troopers over. Cole peered out the hole to see something he had never expected to.

"By the Force," he heard Shadow mutter: the sentiment was felt by Cole as well. An absolutely massive force of droids was gathering outside the Beacon: they seemed to spread out to the edge of the horizon. So far the main body of the army was out of range from the Republic artillery, but Cole could see his troops would be overwhelmed if he didn't do something.

Another enormous blaster bolt streamed through the air, impacting several yards down from Cole's viewpoint. He aimed his hand out and fired off several rockets, which flew out and impacted the enemy artillery piece firing at them: it exploded in a shower of debris. The nearby artillery pieces kept firing at the lines of trenches, aiming to breach the fortifications. Several more rockets blasted a few more to smithereens.

Cole ran through the rest of the ship, finally arriving at an unofficial entrance on the side of the Beacon and sprinted out to the front lines. He ducked just as another artillery blast whooshed overhead, the impact point spraying dirt and shards of rock everywhere. He sneezed as some of the dust infiltrated his nostrils.

"How are we doing?" he shouted to a trooper, who had just ducked back down to reload his rifle.

"We're holding out, sir!" the clone responded, leaning up over the barricade and firing his weapon down the range to take out a few droids. "But they just keep coming!" Down the line a droid's head peered into the trench, which Cole quickly blasted: they were getting too damn close for Cole's taste.

Afraid his troops would be soon overrun, Cole stood up and fired volley after volley of rockets at the droid lines, blasting them apart as if they were tin cans on a firing range. But still they came in equally large numbers, and the AATs were drawing awfully close. A flaming STAP crashed to the ground just a few feet from their position: another one impacted a few yards down the line.

"Where are the gunships?" he shouted. As if on cue, three gunships flew overhead. They were closely followed by two droid gunships, which in turn were being followed by two Torrent starfighters. Several blasts from the fighters sent the flaming enemy gunships plowing into the bluffs.

"We have them in the air, but there's too much fire to use them accurately!" the trooper shouted. A gunship with a severed wing smashed into the ground a few yards away, burning. Cole ran out with another trooper and pulled the unconscious pilot and left gunner out of the ship: the other gunner was dead. They quickly dragged the limp clones to the trenches, where two teams of medics were waiting with stretchers.

As the soldiers were carried off, Cole turned in time to see a laser beam pass close to his position: too close. Quickly taking note of the damaged gunship, he fired a bolt of electricity at the rocket pods, sending off a still-functioning missile that destroyed the offending spider tank droid. The debris crushed several super battle droids underneath it, but still they came.

"Soldier," Cole called, motioning to a communications trooper. "Is there a flare for everyone to take cover?" He had an idea: a crazy one, but it was sure to win the battle.

"Sir, yes sir!" the clone shouted. Another roar of thunder sounded as the Republic artillery opened fire, showering the droids with explosions and shrapnel. Craters formed where large groups of droids had once stood.

"Give them the command on my signal," Cole shouted. With that, he vaulted over the trench walls and began to walk towards the enemy. All the while, he was building his power, the restraints within him beginning to fail as he surged more and more. The air around him seemed to shimmer with energy: several blaster bolts that struck him flew directly back at the droids firing them.

He raised his fists into the air and saw a flare fly into the sky: his troops were taking cover. Recalling the memory of someone he knew doing the same thing, Cole smashed his fist into the ground. Unlike the previous user, this action was so much more powerful.

A massive shockwave of lightning emanated from the impact point, spreading out in an ever-increasing arc towards the droid lines. The ground itself began to shake with the impact, as if Cole had awoken a primal beast within the planet. The shockwave smashed into the droids and something impossible happened: they were not shorted out or electrocuted. Instead, they were blown back as if a tsunami had smashed into them.

Droids were sent flying into the air and the artillery and tanks soon followed them. Battle droids smashed into everything else in the air, whether it was fellow droid or canyon wall. All this time the rapidly deteriorating army gained significant altitude. As the shockwave dissipated, the upwards momentum of the entire Separatist army had ended, and there was only one direction left to go: down. Everything was falling back to the ground, and more often than not, exploded upon contact. What didn't explode was crushed by more falling debris: the battle was over.

Cole turned back to his troops and rejoined the ranks to a hail of cheers: all that was left now was to pick up the pieces. Already the clones were piling up pieces of droids scattered all over their lines.

Cole wandered his way back up to his temporary quarters, let himself fall on his makeshift bed and fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**A/N: As a side note, not all OCs will be featured in the story, but fret not: they will be seen again, and sometime in the future all will be shown for their true potential. I also like fan-art.**

Within a few hours of the battle ending, the comms relay had been fixed and an SOS had been sent to the Republic. The Beacon was beyond repair and the troops had no desire to see her scrapped for other ships. So, at the request of Cole, the ship would be stripped down and rebuilt as a fortress, the bridge of the ship remaining the command center.

Cole was overseeing the fortification or an artillery bunker when a comms trooper ran up to him. "What is it trooper?" he asked, turning to face him.

"Sir," the soldier said, his voice unsteady but firm. "Captain Shadow and his patrol have been ambushed: their rescue beacon has been activated." He pulled out a hologram projector and turned it on: the screen displayed his troops wandering in the background as Shadow talked into the comm.

"Patrol 1138 reporting in 2 clicks from base: no sign of an enemy. We-". He was cut off from a scream in the background: a clone trooper flew through the air before smashing into a wall of disabled droids. "Fire!" Shadow shouted as a blurred figure moved amongst his troops. The blaster bolts seemed to be missing every time: meanwhile, more and more troopers were bodily thrown everywhere.

"We need assistance! We need-." Shadow's voice was cut as the large figure collided with him, sending flying off screen. The figure looked down at the dropped comm and crushed it beneath its foot, ending the transmission.

"Let's go," Cole said, rushing to a pair of gunships. "Our scouts have been ambushed! Saddle up!" he shouted, leaping into the air and zooming off. Seconds later he heard his gunships take off and catch up with him, the troopers inside with their blaster rifles at the ready.

Cole landed at where his scouts had stopped; their speeder bikes were still running. He walked around as the gunships landed and his troopers dispersed, checking for survivors. His scouts were everywhere on the ground: they were dead. Some had been crushed or smashed; two had been cut with what seemed to be a lightsaber.

"Who could have done this?" Cole wondered in fury as he made his way through the piles of junk. He turned a corner and saw Shadow lying on the ground near a pile of droids. He ran over and turned the clone onto his back: he was still breathing.

"What happened here?" Cole asked as Shadow coughed up a bit of blood. He leaned in to hear Shadow whisper.

"Sir...It's a trap."

Cole jumped back as a figure from the pile of droids sprang forth. As it flew towards him, Cole raised his arms in a crossing defensive block. The powerful blow sent him skidding back through the dirt, his feet leaving a trail through the dust.

Cole came to a stop and lowered his arms. The figure stood up straight and Cole got his first good look at it. It was a droid, but unlike anything he had seen. The cloak billowing behind it rose up to a broad chassis with an angry-looking mask for the head. But inside he mask was something altogether unexpected: yellow eyes. This was no droid: it was a cyborg.

"You are no clone," it said, the distinctly male voice emanating from the mask. "Are you a Jedi?"

"No," Cole said, lightning flowing over his arms.

"Then die," the cyborg said, drawing two lightsabers. It flicked them on, causing two blades to extend: one green and one blue. It lunged forward, as did Cole.

Cole quickly leaped over the furious figure, pumping several blasts into its back. Cole landed and spun in time to see a lightsaber blade headed towards him. Time seemed to slow down as Cole weighed his options: only one came to mind.

As the glowing blade drew nearer, Cole powered his fists so his gigawatt blades extended. Raising them in a defensive posture, he watched as the lightsabers connected with the blades in a shower of sparks. Cole blinked in amazement as the blade refused to cut through his: it seemed the droid creature thought the same thing. The creature withdrew the lightsaber and struck at Cole again, who again repelled the attack in a shower of sparks. Each contact emitted a noise like metal tearing asunder; it was deafening. The constant sounds of the clashing echoed throughout the area.

Suddenly Cole's troops rounded a corner and raised their rifles. Cole, with a grunt, forced the droid back and flipped backwards over his troops. They opened fire as the creature fled through the junk piles to a waiting speeder. He sped off, repeatedly reflecting bolts that drew too close. Within a few seconds, he was out of range and out of sight. Cole raced over to Shadow, helping a pair of medics pick him up and carry him to one of the shuttles.

"Will he make it?" Cole asked as Shadow fell unconscious. The medics nodded their heads, the masks hiding their faces. Cole stood back as his troops and the gunships took off and flew back to base, the dead troops replacing some of the others. Cole rode one of the speeder bikes back with the troops who stayed behind to take back the bikes. All the way back to base he could only think of that droid: those yellow eyes were filled with rage, and if he was not mistaken, pain.

Why?

One week later...

Shadow made a full recovery within a week, amazing the medical droids looking after him. He was still weak from the extended bed-rest, but he was strong enough to walk around and survey the progress.

The makeshift bunkers had been replaced by massive buildings, each capable of withstanding long barrages of artillery. The artillery and smaller ship-based weapons had been fitted to be retractable, so they wouldn't be open to counter-fire all the time. The trenches had expanded to form deep ruts where droids who fell in would have trouble getting out. A minefield spread out from the very edge of the base, the positions of the mines placed in natural chokepoints for droid assaults.

The trenches not turned into fall traps had been dug deep enough to form a veritable cave system: the tunnels were wide enough for several troops to run side by side. The extensive network would take at least a day to navigate by oneself.

The shield generator for the ship had been relocated to an underground bunker so it couldn't be targeted at ease. The shield wall would surround the entire base, with numerous access points only available from the inside.

Turret nests had been set up all over the place, many of them providing cross-fire. To take each one would be a fight: to take each bunker tower would be a war within itself.

The newly-created hangars had been partially dug into the ground, with several landing platforms scattered around the base. The gunship and fighters were grouped in several hangars, so that one lucky strike wouldn't take out the entire air support.

All in all, Cole thought the Beacon had served them well in combat, but now it would serve them better on Hypori's surface as a base. Already there were talks of commando mission starting out from the base.

"Sir!" a trooper shouted as Cole wandered by a repaired gunship. "There's an enemy cruiser on our scopes: it's the same one that shot us down!"

"I'll take care of it," Cole said. Walking out to an open area, Cole looked up to see the Separatist cruiser off in the distance, rapidly approaching through the lower atmosphere. Cole simply raised his arms and swung them down, calling a massive electrical storm to convulse over the enemy ship. Within a minute, the ship retreated to high orbit, unable to continue on its present course. The captain must have decided it would be impossible to attack if Cole was calling lightning from the air itself.

"That takes care of that," Cole said as he jumped up and sat down on a piece of siding. "Shadow, do I have anything else scheduled for today?"

Shadow slowly walked over to Cole, his datapad held in his left hand. Shadow's right hand was bandaged, being slightly damaged from the ambush by the cyborg.

"Nothing for here sir, but we've just received a message: another clone company is en route to replace us and you are especially needed at Coruscant. Also, you have a message from the Conduits." A trio of gunships flew overhead, returning from a successful recon. Their wiggling wings meant there were no enemies in sight.

"Excellent," Cole said, jumping down from his position. "I'll take the message here."

The holocom buzzed to life to reveal one of the Conduits: the Shistavanen.

"Remm," Cole said, surprised but not entirely shocked. "What message do you have for me?"

The wolf-like being scratched his chin. "We've been deliberating on a course of action and have decided to build our base on Alderaan."

"Alderaan?" Cole said. "As in the completely peaceful planet that Senator Bail Organa hails from?"

"The very same," Remm replied. "The large areas of undisturbed wilderness would be perfect for our fellow Conduits to test their powers. From there, we can build housing and academies dedicated to enhancing and teaching more Conduits."

"That...well, that is actually a very good idea," Cole replied, scratching his head. "Will everyone be there?"

"Yes, but that Jedi Yoda has requested a meeting with you on the planet," Remm replied.

"I'll be there," Cole said. Deactivating the hologram, Cole looked up to see a Republic shuttle landing at one of the platforms. "I'll be seeing you around, Shadow," Cole said, shaking his hand in a farewell gesture. Shadow saluted as Cole walked away and so did every trooper within sight: it was the least they could do for their beloved general.

Several hours later...

Cole woke from his hyperspace-induced coma to find his group of Conduits waiting for him in a wide open field. Mountains off in the distance seemed to create a picturesque view of the planet. Yoda was standing at the front of the group, his ears twitching.

"I have a few things to attend to," Cole said to the gathered crowd. "If you can, please scout the area for the perfect place for our base." The Conduits spread out, leaving Cole and Yoda by themselves.

"A long time it has been, since last I saw you," Yoda said, leaning on his cane. "Your troops; how are they?"

Cole sat down on the grass across from the diminutive Jedi Master. "They've been through a lot within the past few days," Cole said. "Before I came here, one of patrols was ambushed by a cyborg: who was it?"

Yoda closed his eyes and sat on a rock protruding from the ground. "General Grievous, his name is. A powerful warrior, and a dangerous adversary, he is. Fallen to his blades, many Jedi have."

Cole felt his eyes go wide: he had survived a creature that had taken the lives of numerous Jedi?

"Yoda," Cole began, unsure of how to proceed. "I sensed something from his eyes, something you seem to indicate it is impossible for him to feel."

"Exactly, what would that be?" Yoda asked, his expression curious in nature.

"Pain," Cole said, almost seeing it in the cyborg's eyes as he spoke. "Immense pain: it was as though he were acting against his own will."

Yoda thoughtfully looked down at the grass. "Troubling, this information is. If controlled the general is, loosen his bonds, we could."

"And perhaps deprive the enemy of a valuable resource," Cole interjected, a plan forming in his mind.

"Perhaps," Yoda agreed, standing up from his rock. "To Coruscant, you must come. Business with the Senate, there is."

"I have been called before the Senate?" Cole asked in disbelief. How in the world could he get out of this? The last he had heard, the Senate was corrupt, inflated on its own power and did little if anything of use to the war effort.

"An assignment, they have for you," the Jedi Master replied. "Explain in detail, will they. Come: go, we must."

As Cole boarded the shuttle awaiting his journey to Coruscant, he received a message from Remm: they had found the perfect spot for a base. Cole sent out a message to have the physical Conduits start working on the housing: the rest would come later.

With that, he entered hyperspace with Yoda and fell unconscious.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**A/N: I do not own anything. That includes Infamous, Red vs Blue and Star Wars. This may be the last chapter posted for a while unless my beta reader gets back to me with another chunk of story. Also, I have already finished this story and there will be quite a few more chapters before the end.**

Cole awoke to find himself directly outside of the Senate building; a truly massive structure. Exiting the ship, he found himself and Yoda escorted by a group of what appeared to be guardsmen of some sort.

As Cole made his way through the massive complex, he saw countless examples of different alien species. When he entered a room with Yoda, he swore over one hundred aliens had looked at him like he was the most bizarre creature they had ever seen.

Cole stepped onto a platform with Yoda and found himself in a massive atrium with hundreds of platforms just like his.

"The Senate has been called to order," a blue-skinned alien in the middle floating platform called out. "Our first order of business is to address the war front and funding needed to continue it." He turned to an old man sharing the pod with him, who gave him a nod to continue.

"May I present Jedi Master Yoda, head of the Jedi Council, and his guest Cole MacGrath."

There was a slight rumbling through the Senate as numerous groups began muttering to each other. Cole felt his platform move before it too floated out to the center of the atrium.

"Greetings, Senators," Yoda spoke, his voice magnified to fill the entire atrium. "Suffered heavy losses, we have. Several fleets, gone are they. Most recently, Cole's ship, destroyed it was," Yoda said, indicating Cole with a slight nod of his green head.

"What do you have to say for your losses?" the blue alien spoke. Was he being court-martialed?

"All I know is the enemy's ships are tearing ours apart," Cole said. "More specifically, if my troops are to be in a new ship, it will need to be custom built. My troops serving under me will need specialized tools; tools only I can provide them with."

"How can we be sure this isn't some grandiose plan doomed to fail?" an alien from another pod called out: several pods agreed with his sentiment. "How will we know if your troops are capable enough to handle their posts?"

Cole was getting tired of this. He flew up and out of the pod to hover in front of the aliens, earning numerous gasps from the Senate. "My troops fought for their lives on that planet," Cole said, the rage inside him barely contained. "If you wish to question me, that is fine. But to question the commitment of my men is overstepping your bounds, senator." The electricity in Cole's arms arced over his skin.

"I can end this war, but not without what I need. If you want this over, you will give me my ship and I will give you victories." With that, Cole flew away from the nearly passed-out alien and rejoined Yoda in the pod. He sat down and watched as the Senate deliberated the choice. Within a half hour, Cole had his answer.

"You are to proceed to the Kuat shipyards," the blue alien in the middle podium said. "There you will instruct the builders the specifications needed for the ship in question. Any other thing will have to be developed at an armory on Kamino. You are dismissed."

Cole exited the Senate building with Yoda, his anger somewhat subsided. "Where is the 21st Legion?" Cole asked Yoda as the ship destined to take them away rose from the ground.

"On Kamino, they are," Yoda said. "Do what, will you?"

Cole folded his hands in his lap. "I aim to end this war: that means I will give my troopers the weapons they will need to win."

Yoda went to the cockpit as Cole lay down. Seconds later, Cole felt the ship enter hyperspace and his mind slip away.

A few hours later...

Cole was wandering the massive clone complex; the birthplace of his troops. The armory was state-of-the-art, with multiple rows of production stretching out. His troopers fought with him, but could they fight like him?

The Kaminoans were impressed by his reasoning, even if they found his manners a bit underdeveloped. With his help, a brand new set of experimental weapons rolled off an assembly line and were ready for testing at a training facility.

"What are these?" Shadow asked as he entered the facility, followed closely by several troopers.

Cole turned to face him with a smile. "These are your new weapons, soldier," he said. "The way I see it, the more we can exploit our enemy's weaknesses, the sooner we can end this war."

He walked over to a table filled with weapons. "This here," he began, picking up a large blaster rifle, "is the DL-X2 Blaster Rifle. It can fire a steady stream of lightning pulses at triple the rate of conventional rifles. Each round is capable of destroying a B-2 droid, with three rounds capable of shorting out a Destroyer Droid's shields." He set it down and picked up what seemed to be a small rocket launcher.

"This is the M808V Rocket Launcher. It fires a concentrated burst of electricity capable of travelling faster than any conventional round. Once locked onto a target, it cannot be evaded unless the ship is destroyed by something else."

"What about this one, sir?" a trooper asked, picking up what looked to be a lightsaber.

"Ah," Cole responded, picking one up as well. "This is a personal favorite of mine: this button here activates it." Pressing the button, the clone troopers were amazed when a pulsing shaft of lightning extended from the handle.

"This is what I like to call Amp 2.0," Cole said, remembering the weapon Zeke had made for him. "Similar to a lightsaber, it can deflect any physical blow and cut through metal on its highest setting. The lower settings deliver shocks capable of incapacitating a full-grown Wookiee." He deactivated it and set the cylinder on the table.

"There are several other weapons, but you'll learn of them in time," Cole said. "Right now, we move onto the next set of equipment: your armor."

Cole walked over to a several tables, each detailing a different set of armor except for one empty table.

"As you can see, I've taken the liberty of updating your suits for specific needs. This one here," Cole said, holding up a helmet with the visor taking up nearly the entire faceplate, "is the new helmet. Standard issue, this baby can give you all information you need on the battlefield and is highly resistant to sand, wind, heat, cold, even vacuum." He turned to the main body of the armor sets, the armored plates covering more vital areas than before.

"Each set comes equipped with a shield similar to the one I use. It absorbs blaster fire and can take a direct hit from small cannons without major damage to the occupant. The vacuum seal is good for well over a day, and the suit can recycle the air inside without compromising the user's health."

"What about this table, sir?" Shadow asked, indicating the empty table.

"Do not let your eyes fool you," Cole said as he walked over to the table. With the press of a button, the air on the table shimmered before revealing a slimmed-down but still bulky set of armor.

"This here is for stealth and similar missions. Capable of bending the light around it to render itself invisible, it is padded enough to be silent when passing through any terrain. The sensors in the helmet can detect any tripwires, sensor beams and relay communication to others in total silence."

Cole turned back to his troops. "I want all of you and the rest of the Twenty-First to learn and use this equipment. I expect everyone to not only have familiarized themselves with it, but to also to be wearing it before we are scheduled to leave: understand?"

His troops gave a series of affirmatives and left, intent on spreading the word.

An hour later, Cole was standing in a large facility surrounded by newly-created vehicles. He had made several improvements to every vehicle his troops had, especially the AT-TE and LAAT gunship. The large gun on the back of the AT-TE had been replaced by a larger but lighter cannon that fired massive bolts of lightning equivalent to ten regular rounds. The legs had been slightly elongated and the overall speed increased by a good clip. Several more layers of armor had been added, as well as numerous turrets that fired streams of electricity. The front panels had been shielded in a way similar to the new armor.

The gunship had been further modified to hold more troops in about the same amount of space. The chassis was slightly elongated, with the wings set slightly higher than before and widened to increase stability. Several turrets had been added to the backsides and the roof, hopefully deterring any attacks from above and behind. Two of the turrets fired bolts of lightning similar to the speed of a mini-gun back on Earth. The front bubble turrets now fired secondary lightning grenades along with the standard laser beam, and the pilot now had an ejection seat for when things were going to get ugly. Another rack of missile launchers had been added above those already existing, and a retractable lightning cannon rested in the underbelly for strafing runs. All in all, they were beasts compared to the earlier models.

Cole walked over to a pair of technicians looking over the new artillery piece: the cannon's barrel was at least twice as wide as before, with the round it fired being equivalent to twenty-five of Cole's grenades. Another pair of legs had been added to enhance stability and each piece sprouted a dozen turrets covering every direction.

"Have the problems with the static buildup been rectified?" Cole asked the pair. They nodded and got back to work. Cole turned and left the area, having been messaged by a Kaminoan that he was required in a testing room.

"Yes?" he said when he arrived: pairs of technicians were looking over several pieces of what looked to be armor.

"This is your set of armor, general," a Kaminoan said. Cole was surprised: they had given him his own set?

"Based off of your physiology, this armor is lightweight, water-proof for a period of time and is capable of absorbing and expelling electricity," the Kaminoan explained, the soothing voice not matching the soulless eyes. "It is also excellent for climbing."

Cole gladly took the armor with him to his room and tried it on: it was like a second skin. The best part was the water-proofing, but how long would that last?

An alarm klaxon blared throughout the facility, the noise unlike any other alarm. Cole instantly knew what it meant: invasion.

The Separatists had come to Kamino.

Cole ran through the corridors, each swarming with clones. He soon arrived at a staging platform where dozens upon dozens of troops were gathering. Droid transports had landed midst a torrent of covering starfighters. Droids of all kinds were pouring out of the transports: B-1 and B-2 models, destroyer droids, spider droids and everything else imaginable.

"What's our situation?" Cole shouted as he lobbed several grenades onto a platform: seconds later, the explosion knocked the droid transport off into the oceans below.

"Our fleet is engaged at the moment!" Shadow responded as he shot a spider droid crawling up a platform's side. "We're going to be overrun!" Lightning flashed overhead as the continuous storms broiled in the skies.

Cole ran out onto a platform to see dozens of transports descending upon the platforms: hundreds of enemy fighters swarmed through the skies. "Enough," he said.

Raising his arms, he called forth lightning as he had never done so before: every enemy in sight seemed to explode in a shower of sparks as it arced across the sky. Debris rained down from the destroyed transports and starfighters. Droids everywhere detonated as if they had been rigged with explosives.

Cole turned around to rejoin his troops when he caught a flicker out of the corner of his eye. He turned in time to see a flames-engulfed droid starfighter plow into him and send him plummeting off the platform and into the raging waters below.

"General!" Shadow shouted as he and several troops ran to the edge: there was no sign of Cole MacGrath in the oceans below. He was gone.

Unseen by the clones, a shimmering shape flew away from the site Cole disappeared and exited the atmosphere, its cargo intact. All around the ship the battle for Kamino's orbit raged, but the ship paid it no mind. With a flash of light, it disappeared into the inky blackness of space.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**A/N: I am so sorry many of you had to wait for this update. I haven't had a response from my beta author in GRRR... two months and frankly I feel this story cannot be discontinued. Starting from this moment on I will update weekly, regardless of whether or not the parts have been beta'd. If my beta author sends me beta'd parts, I will replace old chapters with newer ones and let you all know in the next update. I will also be publishing something else immediately after finishing this story that will be in the same category.**

The room was entirely silent, save for the breathing of its three occupants. The darkness seemed to be never ending, punctuated only by a few dim lights near the room's center. The faint glow was barely enough to cast the faintest of shadows.

"Shall I wake him?" a woman said, her cold voice breaking the monotonous silence. The figure next to her gave a small nod, his face cast in a deep shadow.

"It is time," he said, his deep voice a mixture of calm and authority. The woman pressed a button, activating a light source that illuminated the figure across from them. The man was suspended from a set of binders, his armor removed and face exposed. He let out a groan and opened his eyes, blinking away the brightness.

"Glad you are with us, Cole MacGrath," the woman said, a faint smile forming on her lips. "It would be a shame for you to expire before we had a chance to talk." Her posture suggested she would relish the task ahead of her.

"Who are you?" Cole asked, the darkness obscuring their features: if only his powers had given him night vision!

"Who else could we be?" the man asked. He stepped forward into the light, followed by the woman.

Cole's eyes went wide: it was none other than Count Dooku, and his apprentice Asajj Ventress. "What do you want?" he asked, feeling they had not saved him out of pity or altruism: their dossiers had indicated a distinct lack in both.

"We want all that precious information stored in your head, general. Comply, and your death shall be quick and relatively painless: refuse and things will not go well for you," Count Dooku said with a slight leer.

"I don't think you'll get anything out of me," Cole said, his voice set and his face a scowl.

"I have business elsewhere to attend to: Ventress here will ensure you 'cooperate' properly," Dooku said, exiting the room.

"My my," the pale woman said, walking around Cole's exposed torso. "What a fine specimen you are: it will be a shame to break you."

"I wouldn't count on it," Cole said, wondering where he was. "I have survived things worse than you can imagine." The binders on his wrists were metallic in nature: he wouldn't break them just yet.

"Really?" Asajj said, walking over to a table filled with strange-looking tools. She picked up what seemed to be a blade and walked back to Cole.

"You can tell me that after I learn your secrets," she said. With a flick of her wrist, she stuck the knife into Cole's bicep. She pulled it out as Cole winced slightly: it didn't hurt at all, but he couldn't let them know that.

"What are the Republic codes for Coruscant?" she asked. Cole shrugged as she raised her arm to plunge the knife into his arm again, but she stopped. Asajj felt her eyes widen slightly as the wound healed very quickly: there wasn't even a scar. Even the Force could not heal a wound like that at that rate.

"I guess we'll have to try a little harder," she said, picking up another instrument. Cole just watched and waited: sooner or later, she would get frustrated and make a mistake.

Within two hours, Asajj had to admit she was impressed: he had resisted everything, including poison and her Force mind tricks. Even worse, he tried witty banter that made her more and more flustered: damn him for his looks and power. A chime from her comm distracted her: it was Count Dooku.

"Has he broken yet?" her master's image asked. Asajj shook her head.

"He has resisted everything I tried. I'm not even sure he can feel pain."

Dooku's visage looked down, deep in thought. "I will be there shortly." The comm beeped and turned off. Asajj turned back to face Cole, who seemed none the worse for wear.

"My master will be here shortly," she said, trying to scare the obviously powerful man. "He can cause you more pain than anyone else."

Cole snorted. "If he's anything like you, I'll fall asleep halfway through the interrogation."

Asajj started to lose her composure. "What is it that makes you so special?" she asked, nearly shouting. Cole smirked, his eyes looking into hers.

"I am what I am."

The doors slid open behind Ventress: Dooku had arrived. Asajj stepped back as her master approached the infuriating prisoner.

"It seems my apprentice has trouble understanding how to torture someone. I will show you the true meaning of pain," he said, raising his arms. With a slight flourish, crackling electricity flowed from his hands and into Cole. Dooku kept pumping out more and more, the sizzling noise drowning out anything Cole might have said. Cole's body seemed to go limp.

When Dooku finished, he walked up to the still form of Cole. "Are you ready to talk?" he asked, his breathe swirling around Cole's face.

A burst of light shone on one of the shackles: within an instant, Cole's freed hand wrapped itself around Dooku's surprised throat and lifted him off the ground. Dooku struggled against the grip, but the muscular arm and calloused hand were too strong.

"You thought electricity could actually hurt me?" Cole asked, his eyes seeming to glow. Several more bursts exploded the remaining shackles, leaving Cole standing with Dooku off the ground. Dooku continued to claw at Cole's iron grip, his eyes wide with fear.

With seemingly miniscule effort, Cole tossed the Sith back to his stunned apprentice. Asajj then charged forward, her lightsabers igniting. Cole simply pulsed out his gigawatt blades and met her attack.

Asajj furiously swung again and again, but wherever her blows were sure to land a hit, Cole's blades flew in out of nowhere and deflected them with ease. On a particularly vicious swing, Cole flipped backwards and kicked Asajj in the chest in mid-air, sending her backwards. She let out a snarl and charged again, her eyes filled with hatred.

After a few minutes, Cole was getting rather fed-up of fighting. Cole had no intention of killing them: better for them to face trial for their crimes than take the easy way out. With a flick from his arms, he knocked both lightsabers out of her hands. He then quickly grabbed her by the head and delivered a knock-out knee to her chin. She slumped onto the floor next to her master, who was just getting up. He was still rubbing his throat as Cole looked down at him.

"Know this, count," Cole said as he put his armor back on. "If we meet on the battlefield, I will not be as merciful as now: expect pain and injuries like you never have before. The same goes for her," he said, jerking his thumb at the unconscious form of Ventress.

Finishing with his armor, Cole ran out of the room and made his way to a hangar, blasting any droid he saw. Several Neimoidians got in his way: he just flat-out punched them as he ran by. Jumping into a shuttle and lowering the ramp amidst a hail of blaster fire, he flew out of the Separatist ship. All around him swirls of cannon fire and missile trails bloomed, but he paid them no mind. Within seconds, he reached a safe distance and set his coordinates for Kamino: soon the stars formed into streaks of light and his mind went blank.

A few hours later...

On Kamino, Shadow was participating in the removal of the droid debris. The battle had been won with relatively few casualties, but they had lost General MacGrath. Starfighters and gunships alike had searched the seas below, but there had been no sign of him. Even the normally stoic Kaminoans were unable to locate his body aboard their flying beasts.

An alarm klaxon blared as Shadow helped shove a spider droid into the ocean below. He looked up to see a Separatist shuttle plummeting towards a platform: now what?

With a crash, the ship plowed into a platform and slowly skidded to a halt, coming to rest on a pile of yet-to-be-removed junk. Clones gathered around it, their rifles at the ready.

The ramp, with a groaning noise, slowly descended before the gathered group. Footsteps echoed from within the hull of the ship. A figure emerged from the smoky interior and Shadow felt himself gasp.

"What, didn't you miss me?" Cole MacGrath said as he walked down the ramp, his helmet under his arm.

"Sir?" Shadow said, barely repressing an urge to shout. "You're alive?"

"Of course I am," Cole replied, patting his captain on the shoulder. "It takes more than a crash and torture to kill me."

"You were tortured?" Shadow asked, now completely confused. What was the general talking about?

"I'll explain everything in my report to the council," Cole said, walking back towards the city. As he walked by, more and more troops were radioing his return. General MacGrath was alive.

Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location...

A robed figure stood enshrouded in shadow, illuminated only by the secure holocom in his hand. There was nobody in sight, and he had made sure he was not followed.

"What news do you bring, Lord Tyrannus?" he asked, his slightly gravelly voice filling the void the room contained. His apprentice's face appeared anguished and uncertain in the display.

"My master," he began. "The rumors are true: the one they call Cole MacGrath is far more powerful than we had ever thought possible. The stories about him destroying our armies are not rumors: they are fact. He resisted Force mind-control as if it was nothing to him, and he easily cast me aside as if I were a youngling." The man was clearly shaken and frightened, though he was trying his best not to show it.

The hooded figure frowned at the news: the war was not turning out as he had planned. This was most certainly not good for his new vision of the galaxy. The problem with the one called Cole would need to be rectified, and soon. But Darth Sidious was not anything if not resourceful: all it took was a little planning and patience to achieve total victory.

This meddlesome general would soon be taken care of: after all, accidents happened at the Kuat shipyards all the time.

One day later...

Cole had wasted no time in reaching the Kuat shipyards, regardless of what his relieved troops or surprised fellow generals had to say. His experience was but a bump in the road to the end of the war.

Upon arriving at the shipyards, he was immediately impressed by the size of the Mandator-class Dreadnaught guarding the system: it was absolutely massive. However, he was not here to eye a ship with no inter-system hyperdrive. He was here for his new ship: a modified Venator-class cruiser designed to his specifications. It was being called the Pax-class cruiser.

The Republic had learned much from the destruction of the Separatist ship Malevolence after its subsequent crash upon a moon. Cole had examined the details and decided to install a smaller version of the ion cannon running down the middle of the ship, on its underbelly. The tall, exposed towers had been set further in the ship, and the angle between the towers and the hull had been greatly reduced, giving the ship an elongated-pyramid shape.

Several larger versions of Cole's lightning cannons had been added to additional spots, including the bottom of the hull. Perhaps the most important addition was a second set of doors for the hangar bay, in addition to several tractor beams. Fighters and bombers leaving and entering the ship would be protected by the additional cannons lining the doors themselves.

Cole had landed on a large platform amidst a massive city where the designers were waiting for him. After discussing a few problems involving engine malfunctions, structural integrity and ion discharge, they left him alone.

"Hopefully this will end the war sooner," Cole thought, looking up into the sky. An Acclamator-class cruiser similar to the _Beacon_ was flying through the lower atmosphere.

Cole turned and studied several datapads on which the technical readouts had been downloaded for him. He failed to notice a shadow hovering over him. Cole heard shouts off in the distance: looking up, he had enough time to notice the shadow increasing in darkness. A quick glance up proved any action would be futile: the falling ship landed on top of him with a tremendous crash. The deafening noise shattered windows and eardrums within a massive vicinity. Hundreds of workers attending to the structure died instantly: onlookers felt as if the very planet had moved.

Several clone troops wandered out of a shuttle on another platform, the 21st insignia and armor showing them to be Cole's soldiers. They took their helmets off in shock, unsure of what to do: he couldn't possibly have survived that.

Their general was no more.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

A blinding light was the first thing that greeted Cole's senses. His first thought was the odd fact that he could still think after being crushed by an entire cruiser. Perhaps he had finally died?

"That's not the best way to go, Cole," a voice said. Cole stood up, seemingly in the middle of a vast, white room. There were no walls in sight, and the ceiling didn't seem to exist.

"Who's there?" he called, twirling around. A shape seemed to materialize out of thin air, the robed frame looking him directly in the eyes.

"So you've somehow managed to off yourself again," Kessler said, shaking his head as if Cole had just tripped over a minor obstacle. "I must say, up to this point you have impressed us quite a bit."

"What do you mean _us_?" Cole asked, unsure of what his doppelganger meant.

"He's right, you know," another voice answered: it too was familiar. Cole turned and found himself staring into the eyes of John White: the Beast.

"What are you doing here?" Cole asked, unsure whether to attack or shout. John raised his hands, as if in surrender.

"We come to you, not as former enemies, but as advisors," he said. Two more shapes materialized: Alden Tate and Joseph Bertrand.

"I think you could learn a thing or two from us, my boy," Bertrand said. The grizzled old man at his side nodded.

"Even in this world you somehow manage to be its greatest savior," Tate said. "Be hopeful it doesn't go to your head."

"What are you all doing here?" Cole asked again, unsure if his question had even been acknowledged.

Kessler walked to the front of the group, his robes slightly trailing on the ground. "If you would listen, we could give you the advice we never had. We can give you the strength it will take to win your war."

"What do you mean?" Cole asked, feeling a distinct sense of confusion.

Kessler placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, and listen well: I don't like to repeat myself."

Meanwhile, on the surface of Kuat...

Every person had been evacuated off the downed cruiser, but no matter what the police tried to do, an enormous crowd had gathered. There was already talk of a Cole MacGrath memorial, but nobody could agree on the place or the design.

Shadow had arrived almost immediately after the accident and was directing assistance with the clean-up. The downed ship was a total wreck: it would have to be scrapped. Several Jedi were assisting the police with maintaining order, and a message had been sent to Coruscant. Within an hour, Jedi Master Yoda had arrived with Chancellor Palpatine to say a few words.

"We have witnessed a great tragedy," Palpatine began, with an ever-growing crowd viewing him from afar. News networks had relayed signals from their correspondents to the entire galaxy. Literally, there was nobody who didn't know what had happened, Republic or Separatist. The sky itself seemed to be watching, with great clouds slowly swirling over the crash site.

"We have lost a great general and a hero to this Republic," Palpatine said, the crowd hanging onto his every word. "He confidently strode into every battle, willing to risk everything he had for the sake of his troops and this galaxy. I am sorry to say-" he was cut off by a large groaning from the ship's structure. He turned around at another huge groan: it was as if the ship was moving.

Suddenly, a blast of lightning shot forth from the sky and impacted the ship, arcing over the craft as if trying to raise it from the dead. Bolt after bolt followed, scorching the downed craft and causing several onlookers to faint. The very air itself seemed to come alive: the power flowing around everyone was palpable.

"It cannot be," he muttered under his breathe. How could his plan have failed now?

With a great groan, the sparking ship began to lift off of the ground, the crowd shouting in awe and horror. As the ship rose, a focal point seemed to lifting the entire thing. The cameras of the news medias zoomed in and the entire galaxy let out a gasp.

There, lifting the immense ship was Cole MacGrath. His eyes seemed to be emanating electricity, erasing his stare and replacing it with an intense glow. The ground around him was sparking and cracking under the power he was giving off. With a shout likely heard around the galaxy, he threw the ship into the air, where it continued to soar up and outwards into space. Soon enough it disappeared from view, though nobody was paying it any attention.

The seemingly invincible general walked towards the makeshift podium, blood gushing from so many wounds. Even as he walked, the blood flow seemed to dry up and the broken bones sprouting from his flesh seemed to retreat into his body and mend themselves. The open wounds were closing like a time-lapse video. His legs, seemingly bent all out of shape, repositioned themselves with every step until his gait was smooth and normal.

Upon reaching the makeshift stage, the blazing general reached up and cracked his crooked head back to normal. Upon staring at the supreme chancellor and Jedi Master Yoda, the lightning faded from his eyes and he fell over.

The entire galaxy exploded into a frenzy of disbelief. People were shouting for order, but nobody seemed to want _that_. Troopers of the 21st Legion, Shadow included, were shooting their rifles into the air in joy and exuberance. A team of Jedi rushed to the fallen figure and loaded him into a newly-arrived speeder, all while the crowd seemed to converge as one giant mass on the stage. With a zooming motion, it sped off towards a hospital where security was already being contacted to clear an entire floor.

The only one watching the proceeds without a hint of disbelief or joy was Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. If anyone were to pay attention to his expression as he left the scene to return to Coruscant, he might have seemed... _furious_.

Meanwhile, on a cruiser in the Outer Rim, three figures stood shocked in the bridge. They had all seen the footage of Cole MacGrath's other-worldly return.

"This is not possible," General Grievous said, turning to Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress. Dooku seemed to be lost in thought: Asajj was openly gaping at the screen.

"My master has underestimated his abilities," Dooku said after a few moments of silence. "If we are to kill this man, it will have to be personal." He patted his lightsaber to illustrate his point.

"How in the galaxy can we accomplish this?" Grievous asked, disbelief filtering through his mask. Asajj turned away from the screen as well, her composure finally returning. Dooku glanced over her head at the droid general.

"A challenge will be sent out: if Cole can defeat you, Grievous, we will release the Jedi Master we have prisoner." Dooku knew his plan would be hazardous, but they had no other choice.

"We don't have a Jedi Master prisoner," Asajj responded, looking confused.

Dooku fully turned to face them, his hands clasped behind his back. "Then I guess we'll have to get one," he said, a leer forming on his lips. "General Grievous, the Jedi Master Shaak Ti will be visiting the hospital at which Cole MacGrath is recovering. She will be on the night watch, all by herself. I want you to pay her a _visit_."

"I will leave immediately," Grievous said. With a bow, he left the bridge and made his way to the hangar, leaving in a modified shuttle equipped with sensor-deflecting material. Within seconds of taking off, he and his ship were gone.

Asajj turned to face her master, her expression a mixture of disbelief and wariness. "What are we to do if the general does not return?" she asked.

Dooku's grim features turned hard. "Then we will have to make new plans."

Meanwhile, in the hospital on Kuat...

Shaak Ti looked over the comatose form of General MacGrath. He had just survived the impossible: a cruiser had landed on him. The investigation had showed the engines failed due to a virus aboard the controls.

"How powerful are you?" she asked to herself. She was so focused on her guard duty, she failed to notice the figure standing behind her.

"Hello, Shaak Ti," the voice said. The quickly spun around, but even as her lightsaber shone forth, a stun blast hit her frame and knocked her back into Cole's bed. Bending down, Grievous picked up the unconscious Jedi master and started to walk away. When he heard a noise, Grievous looked back at Cole to see the man sitting up with an arm raised.

"No," Cole said weakly. With a blast he sent a bolt of lightning directly at the general's head, knocking Grievous forward at few feet. Knowing the noise had likely alerted the whole hospital, Grievous ran out of the room and through the corridors, eventually reaching his shuttle. Disarming the Jedi of her lightsaber and placing her in the cockpit's bed, he rapidly pressed a series of buttons. Within seconds, the shuttle took off and exited the atmosphere, eventually disappearing altogether. He ran a metallic hand over the back of his head, feeling as though something was missing.

In the hospital, Cole fell back to his bed almost as soon as the droid general fled. He was not too concerned, though: that blast had likely fried something important in Grievous' brain. Perhaps in time the general would come to realize that.

With a grunt, Cole closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

The next day, the Jedi Council had learned of Shaak Ti's kidnapping. At the same time, a group of younglings on a mercy mission had been taken prisoner by a large group of pirates, who were demanding a large ransom. The council knew if the Separatists got wind of this, they would double the amount asked for. They could not afford to let those innocent children be put in harm's way.

For the longest time, there was a debate over which issue to resolve first. In the end, the decision was for Cole to rescue Shaak Ti after he fully recuperated. In the meantime, the 21st Legion would mount a full-scale assault on the facility where the children were being held. A Jedi general would not accompany them for one very unfortunate reason; the pirates had ysalamari all around the base. The Force-negating properties would render a Jedi nearly useless, if not a downright liability.

With the clearance from the council, Shadow and the rest of the newly-outfitted 21st Legion boarded their new ship, christened the _Resurrection_, and headed out for the pirate base. The asteroid field the base was hidden amongst was in the Hoth system, so every gun on the _Resurrection_ wouldn't be available for support.

The ship arrived within a few hours, emerging from hyperspace on the opposite side of the planet, so as to avoid detection. Inside the newly-furbished hangar, Shadow stood in full combat dress. His fellow troopers stood at attention, waiting for his signal.

A beep from his helmet meant the ship was in range of the asteroids. Shadow turned to his troops and raised his DX-L2 blaster rifle to his shoulder.

"Move out!" he commanded. With a flurry of movement, his troops rushed to their assault shuttles, with the fighters providing escort launching before them.

"Time to rescue those Jedi," Shadow thought as he sat down in the lead seat. Within a minute, all the shuttles were launched, screened from every direction by the fighters. With a burst of speed, the group headed towards the pirate base.

**A/N: Here we are again: things are going down, the war is spreading and plans are going to get very, very personal. A familiar face will reappear, but at what cost will some lose who they are? See you all next week!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**A/N: (Looks at story history) OVER 7,800 HITS! *faints from shock**

**A/N 2: Well, I must admit this was one of my favorite chapters to write. Also, it's a bit longer and things will take an unexpected turn, in more ways than one. Some of it may seem abrupt, but do not worry: everything will be explained. See you all next week!**

Shadow never was a fan of his old helmet. While the other ARC troopers felt the helmets were great, Shadow had always felt the visor provided a very small field of vision. The new helmets, with their expanded visor and assorted attachments, fit the bill quite nicely.

The trooper next to him fiddled with his EGL-2. The Electrical Grenade Launcher, as Cole had named it, fired grenades similar to his own at the rate of a normal blaster rifle. The size was similar, but the thing had the drawback of being heavier. Luckily, it also provided a shield for the user on the front and side. The only weakness was an attack from behind, though at the rate clones advanced it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

"This is going to be easy," Shadow told him, trying to calm his fellow soldier down. He could tell the trooper was still shaken by Cole's apparent death and miraculous resurrection. "These aren't droids: they're a bunch of frightened pirates. With this new equipment, we'll be in and out of there in no time."

"Lock and load!" shouted the pilot as he approached the hangar bay of the pirate base. All around the entrance plumes of fire sprouted as the fighters engaged the enemy turrets before the pirates had a chance to fire. The first few pirate fighters that exited the hangar exploded after being riddled with cannon fire.

"Clear the ramp!" the pilot shouted once more, pressing several buttons and slamming down a lever. As one group, every trooper stood up at the same time, their weapons and armor ready for combat.

The shuttle swiftly landed in the hangar bay amidst a hail of blaster fire. With a hiss, the ramp descended and the troopers rushed out, quickly turning to face the enemy. Their weapons soon pumped out volley after volley of lightning, sending pirates fleeing for cover. More and more of the shuttles landed, releasing their own complement of troops.

Soon the hangar bay was a lightshow of blaster fire and electrical discharges. Pirates were retreating through every door they could find; none of their bolts seemed to be affecting the clones at all.

"First squad, advance with me!" Shadow shouted, running up to a series of crates full of confiscated goods. The squad quickly lined up behind him, awaiting further orders. "Second squad, wait for my signal!"

With a flurry of signals, his troops ran around the corner of the container and fired into the pirate lines, decimating them. The pirates still standing fled further into the base.

"Advance now!" Shadow shouted. The second squad charged forward, grenade launchers and rockets firing. The blast doors separating the hangar from the rest of the base blew off its hinges. The hangar had been taken. From the amount of enemies dead in the hangar, they had taken out around half of the enemy forces.

"Troops," Shadow said as the hangar was secured. "Spread out by groups of three squads. The narrow hallways will prevent our guns from being used effectively; use your Amps instead!"

The troopers all pulled out the lightsaber-like devices Cole had created for them. They all ran off, each group equipped with an emergency transponder in case they found the younglings.

Shadow travelled down a corridor with his three squads, penetrating deeper and deeper into the large asteroid. With every step he took, Shadow could swear the base was getting colder and colder. Soon enough, the exhausts from their helmets were spewing forth water vapor as if they were in a freezer.

"Watch your corners," Shadow said as he rounded a hallway. Each of the troopers had their Amps activated, bathing the dark areas with an eerie blue glow. There were no signs of life in the hallways: it was as if none of the pirates even traveled this way.

"I can't believe how cold it is," a trooper remarked as he carefully avoided a patch of ice. "Did someone open up the asteroid to vacuum?"

Shadow silently shared his sentiment. It was absolutely freezing in the hallway, with icicles hanging from the ceiling at intermittent points. He walked up to a door, the edges covered in a thick layer ice. The durasteel door had only one big button to open it; red and obvious. Pressing it, Shadow stood back as the door slowly slid open, with small chunks of ice flaking off like snow. Activating the flashlights in their helmets, the troopers quickly advanced into the room, their amps at the ready: several swung up their rifles, just in case.

"By the Force," Shadow muttered, coming to a stop. In the middle of the room was a woman hanging from binders, her hair hanging in front of her eyes. The binders were encased in ice, and floor beneath her seemed to be a giant sheet of the stuff. Shadow's comm crackled in his helmet.

"Sir, we've found the younglings and the pirates have been dealt with. We are en route to the hangar: repeat, we are en route to the hangar."

"Good job," Shadow replied, his voice audible to the other troopers. "We'll tell General MacGrath the good news."

The woman's head jerked up, her blue eyes popping open. "MacGrath?" she said, her voice cracking under the strain. "Cole MacGrath is here?"

With that outburst seeming to sap her strength, she fainted away. Shadow sliced the binders from her wrists and picked her up, her slight frame easily fitting into his arms.

"Tell the general we have someone who seems to know him," Shadow said as he and the rest of the clones reached the hangar. The woman was as cold as ice; her breathing the only indication she was even alive.

As they boarded the last shuttle, Shadow contacted the Resurrection to prepare a team for injuries. The younglings were already safely aboard.

"Take her to the medical bay," Shadow instructed a pair of medics after they had landed. Running quickly, he soon arrived at the bridge. "We need to get back to Coruscant now."

Within a minute, the ship entered hyperspace.

Back on Kuat...

Cole was able to walk comfortably out of the hospital, his next destination Coruscant. He was still sore from his recovery, but luckily he hadn't needed to stay for long. The shuttle waiting for him was brand new, but the droid piloting it was not.

"Get me there as quickly as possible," Cole told the droid. With an affirmative beep, the droid piloted the ship into the orbit of Kuat and prepared to enter hyperspace. The last thing Cole saw before his mind went blank was the massive Kuat shipyards.

The whiteness greeted Cole again, and the room he was in had a table and chairs: it seemed to be a board room of some kind.

"Welcome back, Cole," Kessler said, sitting in a chair. He was dressed in a suit and tie: he looked utterly ridiculous.

"Now where am I?" Cole asked. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn Kessler's attire changed to a tuxedo.

"You need to move on, Cole," a voice said from behind him. Turning around, he saw Trish standing in full hospital garb.

"But how am I supposed to do that?" Cole asked, feeling more confused than hurt at Trish's remark. Why was she telling him this? Was there something they knew that he didn't?

"You still have a long life ahead of you," Kessler said. "Try to find some semblance of happiness, okay?"

The room disappeared in an instant, leaving only darkness. Cole opened his eyes to see he had already landed on Coruscant. Walking out the shuttle, he turned to see Shadow emerging from another shuttle. Shaking off his hyperspace-induced dream, he smiled and walked up to the clone.

"Shadow," Cole said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I hope you didn't get into any trouble when I was out of commission."

Shadow's smiled. "No sir. Rescue a few younglings here, defeat a few pirates there: nothing we couldn't handle."

Shadow turned around as several troopers brought forth a woman. Her breathe was clearly visible, though the air was not cold on Coruscant and had not been for a very long time.

"General MacGrath, I believe she knows you," Shadow said. The woman looked up at the captain's words, her blue eyes seeming to take him all in at once.

"Cole? Is it really you?" she said, her voice almost a whisper. Cole was shocked: it couldn't be.

"Kuo?" he said, unsure if he was still dreaming. This one word seemed to destroy whatever self-restraint she had. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around Cole, the inertia of her rush sending them toppling over. Her lips met his: in an instant, Cole realized this was definitely no dream.

Kuo suddenly realized what she had done and quickly broke off the kiss, blushing as she stood back up. Cole got up off the ground and looked at his soldiers. They were looking in every direction but at him; Shadow had seemed to take an intense interest in the helmet he was holding.

"Troops," Cole began, unsure of what to do. "This is Lucy Kuo: she came from the same place I did." At the lack of his soldier's understanding, he further elaborated.

"She has powers like me," he said. Realization dawned on their faces as Cole dismissed them. Turning to Kuo, he rubbed his chin.

"I didn't expect a greeting like that," he said, giving a slight chuckle. Kuo wrapped her arms around him, holding her head to his chest.

"I was so alone. When I woke up, I was on an icy planet that looked nothing like Earth. Then a group of what could only be aliens flew down and carted me off to that hollowed-out asteroid up in space. I was so scared, Cole: I was sure I was going to die."

"It's alright now," Cole said, returning her embrace. "I'm here." They stood that way for a minute, neither saying anything.

"Come on," Cole said, letting her go. "I'll show you around." Holding her hand, Cole led Kuo into the Jedi temple. All the way to the Council chambers she meekly but earnestly pelted him with questions, which he gladly answered.

They soon reached the doors to the council chambers. "So we're likely in another galaxy?" Kuo asked. Cole nodded and pulled her with him into the room, slowly opening the doors. About half the council was sitting in; the rest were viewing through holocoms.

"Welcome back Cole," Master Windu said. "Who is this?" he asked, motioning to Kuo.

"This is Lucy Kuo: she is where I'm from," Cole said. "I'll explain everything later: I heard you have an urgent assignment for me?"

"Indeed," Yoda said. "Kidnapped, Master Shaak Ti, has been. Her whereabouts, we know not."

A beep emanated from the holocom system. Cole pressed the button and received the shock of his life.

"General Grievous," he said, crossing his arms at the transparent figure. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Dispense with the pleasantries, MacGrath," the droid said, his voice causing the room to grow tense. "I have something you want; Jedi Master Shaak Ti."

Cole had a feeling he knew the answer to his own question. "What do you want?"

"I seek a duel with you, general. Win and she goes free; lose and I'm afraid you won't see her again." A set of coordinates popped up, indicating the planet. "Arrive by yourself," the cyborg said. "If anyone else is with you, I will kill her." With a beep, the image of the droid general disappeared.

Cole's grim frown slowly disappeared as he realized something: the general had not insulted him. The blast must have destroyed something else besides Dooku's control.

"I will be back," Cole told the council after they agreed to look after Kuo.

Cole hopped into a shuttle outside and entered the coordinates. A few minutes later, his ship entered hyperspace.

Meanwhile, on the planet in question...

Grievous was worried. It wasn't the fact the Jedi Master he kidnapped looked so peaceful as she slept in her cell. It wasn't the fact he was having doubts about his former mission. It was what his next decision would do that gave him the most trouble.

**_Flashback_**

_Grievous deactivated the holocom and walked down the hallway of the fortress, his cloak gently swaying behind him. As he walked past a door, he overheard Dooku's voice._

"_I still don't believe the general remains unchanged, master," Dooku said. "His performance has been slipping." Grievous felt like letting out a groan: so a few Jedi had escaped his grasp back on Hypori and Cole MacGrath had bested him. It wasn't that big of a deal._

"_He must be speaking with Sidious," Grievous thought, a little suspicious at the count's words. He hadn't lost his grip that much, right?_

"_How can he be the same after we arranged that shuttle crash? It was difficult to rebuild a barely-alive monster like him." The words of Sidious cut through Grievous like a lightsaber. A monster?_

"_I am worried the control chip we planted in his brain has been malfunctioning," Dooku replied._

_Grievous was unable to do anything but walk away. In his head, the words he had overheard were starting to take root._

"_Shuttle crash... control chip..." he thought, his metallic hands curling into fists. The rage rose up inside him, threatening to choke out all thought. He had to leave the vicinity before he did something out of anger. He ran down the hall and paused, unable to take another step._

"_They did this to me!" he thought, looking down on his droid form. He had been a Kaleesh, a proud warrior; he had had a family, friends, a home and a body to enjoy it all with. He had everything he could have ever wanted._

_They had taken it: through lies and deceit, they had taken it. His friends no longer knew him; much of his family was dead or missing. He had been forced to give up his culture; his way of life. His flesh was no longer his; instead it was the twisted metal the Sith and their minions had created for him. He could no longer feel a gentle breeze in the evening or the warmth of a sunset: forever doomed to feel nothing but emotions and pains in his still-intact organs._

_How long had he no control over his actions? How long had he stood by and watched as his enslaved body massacred hundreds of clones, Jedi and innocent civilians? When did he realize he had murdered children, the one thing he had been taught by his father was a mark of a true villain?_

"_I have become a monster," he thought, entering the room holding the Jedi prisoner. Warfare had been a part of his life as long as he could remember, but this was different: it was no spat between tribes or repelling a Huk invasion. It was galactic in scale and millions would pay the price, and for what: politics. Sitting on a reinforced bench, he held his head in his hands, the grief threatening to overcome his rage. He had lost everything he had known and what had he gained in return? A mechanical body incapable of any physical emotion or feeling; a walking prison serving the will of evil and power-hungry men._

_He was no longer a proud Kaleesh; he wasn't anything but a pile of a few still-functioning organs and a twisted metal frame surrounding them. In essence, he was nothing but a living droid: a crime against nature._

"_Can a droid cry?" he thought as his eyes shut. The memories of what he had done came back to him, accompanied by a fresh wave of grief. "Am I even capable of feeling anything but hatred and fury?" He opened his yellow eyes to see drops glistening on his metal hand._

_He had not lost everything after all._

**_End Flashback_**

"No more," he thought as he stood up, the resolve steeling his voice. "No more shall I be enslaved to this cause. The bonds that held me have broken; I will choose my own destiny." He turned to see the Jedi had awoken, her expression a curious one.

"Come to gloat?" she asked. Grievous looked down at her, his fists uncurling. She really did have beautiful eyes.

"You are coming with me," Grievous said, his mind made up. Pressing several buttons, the cell door opened to a shocked Jedi master. "If you want to live, be silent and follow my lead," Grievous said, offering his hand.

The Jedi master sat for a few more seconds before gingerly taking the general's hand, unsure of what was going to happen. His voice was sincere, and if she was not mistaken, his emotions were a turmoil of pain and grief. He gently pulled her up and turned around.

"This way," he said as he opened the door and peered into the hallway. Seeing the coast was clear, he silently worked his way to a room, with the silent Jedi master behind him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, unsure what had brought about the general's sudden mood swing. Was this all some sort of random plot to get her killed, or had the general lost his mind?

"Returning something I had no right to take," he whispered back. Rewarding himself with fallen adversaries' weapons no longer brought him pleasure; it only brought him an unending sense of suffering. Pressing a button, the door opened to reveal a large collection of lightsabers: trophies his enslaved body had taken from defeated Jedi.

"Take as many as you can," he said, handing her what appeared to be a duffle bag. "I will no longer need these."

Shaak Ti was somehow even more surprised but did as he said. After she had rearmed herself and was carrying a full duffle bag, she walked out of the room. Within a minute, Grievous walked out with two more bags as well, his arms divided into four parts. A blaster was in each free hand, giving him the appearance of an armed delivery droid.

"This way," he said, carefully walking through a series of doors and hallways. Upon reaching a final door, he pressed several buttons to reveal an open field. Running quickly, he was out of range of any cannons long before someone would suspect something was up. Shaak Ti ran behind him, the cool air a welcome relief to the sweltering dungeon.

"Now what?" she asked, setting the duffle bag down. Grievous held onto his and turned to her, his yellow eyes staring into hers.

"I am now a prisoner of the Jedi," he said, a weary sound blanketing his voice. "I will gladly stand trial for my crimes."

Shaak Ti was about to say something when a rumble made her look up. Punching through the clouds, a Republic shuttle landed on the grass a few yards away. The ramp extended to reveal Cole MacGrath.

"Are you ready, Grievous?" he said, cracking his knuckles. An alarm sounded in the distance, causing Grievous to step forward.

"I have no time to explain," he said as he walked forward. "The Jedi will explain everything." He threw the duffle bags into the ship and drew one lightsaber.

"But first, a penance for my crimes," he said. Before either could do anything, Grievous activated the lightsaber and sliced off an arm at the shoulder. Twirling the blade again, he sliced off the other arm; the lightsaber dropped to the ground.

"Let's go," he said, striding into the shuttle past a shocked MacGrath as if nothing had happened. Gingerly, Shaak Ti picked up the lightsaber and walked in after him, with Cole bringing up the rear. As the ramp closed, Grievous sat down in the back and laid his head back. Soon, the shuttle rumbled to life and exited the planet's atmosphere. The rumble soon became a gentle hum as the ship entered hyperspace.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The shuttle exited hyperspace and was immediately greeted by a call from the Jedi Council.

"Cole," Master Windu's image said. "Were you successful in rescuing Master Ti?"

Cole sheepishly shrugged, having just awoken before the call came through. "I didn't really do anything," he said.

"I am here," Shaak Ti replied, entering the holocom. "We have a surprising guest with us; you may want to meet us outside."

As the shuttle landed, Cole was still in a bit of shock. The great General Grievous had freed the Jedi Master and willingly given himself up? Cole was still trying to understand just what had gone through the cyborg's head to bring him to this point

The ramp extended and Cole strode out first, closely followed by Shaak Ti. After a few tense moments, General Grievous strode out to the shock of the Jedi. Several drew their lightsabers but did not activate them at the sight of the armless general.

"He's with us," Cole said, hoping someone wouldn't charge the prisoner; he knew the history between Grievous and Jedi would likely cause problems. Shaak Ti stepped forward, her hand nowhere near her lightsaber.

"Masters, I believe this is no longer the Grievous we once knew and feared. He has changed; somehow or another, he has changed." As if to demonstrate, the general bowed before Jedi Master Yoda.

"By this, what mean you?" Yoda asked, watching as the droid ex-general sat down on the pavement.

"See through the Force, masters," Shaak Ti replied. As a group, the Jedi around them reached out to feel what the general was thinking. Some who had drawn their lightsabers placed them back into the folds of their robes.

Yoda opened his eyes first. "A great pain, I sense. Guilt, regret; experienced I have, nothing else like it." His voice was grave. "To do with him, what would you?"

Cole leaned in and whispered into Shaak Ti's ear. Her posture stiffened in response to his conspiratorial nod.

"We should keep him I custody at the Jedi Temple," she said. "Furthermore," she said, glancing at Cole. "I believe I should watch over him and try to learn anything I can from him."

"Excellent, this idea is," Yoda replied. "Inform Chancellor Palpatine, of this decision, should we?"

Cole shook his head. "If he found out, he'd leak it to the press and they would demand a trial if not out-right execution. We may be at war, but this is one of those things that needs to be kept 'under wraps', so to speak." The droid general looked up at his words, his eyes staring at Cole's back.

"It is nothing less than I deserve," he said, his words catching a few Jedi off-guard. They had obviously not expected him to speak, nor with such resignation and humility.

"We shall see," Windu said, folding his arms in front of him. "For the time being, Grievous stays with us. Master Ti, if you would be so kind as to show our 'guest' to his room?"

Shaak Ti and several following Jedi escorted the cyborg to the temple, where an elevator took them to the lower stations. A prison-like structure held only one more captive: the mercenary Jango Fett, still imprisoned from his capture at Geonosis. Luckily for him, his clone/son Boba came to visit every once in a while from the Kaminoan city of Tipoca, where he had been sent to live and train.

Grievous was put in a cell with only a bed: no other fixtures graced the small space. He looked back out at Shaak Ti as she settled in a comfortable chair and waited for him to talk.

"I am glad you recovered quickly from your little ordeal," Grievous said, ignoring the bed and instead sitting on the cold floor. Even at this position he was nearly eye-level with Shaak Ti, which made things easier for the both of them.

"You won't be surprised when I tell you I did not expect your concern," she said, sipping some tea another Jedi had brought her. "I do appreciate it, though I wonder why you express such things when in the past you have clearly tried to kill us."

"What is it you wish to know?" he asked, his voice sounding weary. Whether he was ignoring the jab or keeping his pain a secret, the Jedi Master did not know.

"What do you think I want to know?" she asked in return, hoping to skip over petty details. Republic Intelligence already knew the hierarchy of the Separatists: they just needed to know how to win the war.

"It was Lord Sidious who was behind that ship falling on your general MacGrath," Grievous said. "I do not know who he is, but he is placed high in the Galactic Senate. Dooku is in league with him, as are the rest of the Separatist Council"

Shaak Ti was shocked: the Dark Lord of the Sith was in their midst and they couldn't even recognize his presence? No wonder Dooku had left the Jedi Order: he had been likely drawn over to the Dark Side by this 'Lord Sidious'.

"I also know the locations of several fleets and invasion forces," Grievous continued, taking note of the Jedi's stare. He couldn't help but focus on her lovely reddish-orange skin tone.

"Tell me everything else," she said, taking out a recording device. She had no intention of forgetting anything he said. She had all the time in the world to listen to him.

It would prove to be a long wait.

Meanwhile, aboard the _Resurrection_...

Cole was standing aboard the bridge, unsure of what to do next. General Grievous was in custody and nearly every other Jedi was engaged at some point in the war. The only thing that kept many from being overrun was the threat of Cole showing up. If he did become engaged elsewhere, enemies on the other side of the galaxy would strike. What was he to do?

All he could do was close his eyes and think back to what Kessler and the others had told him when the ship had landed on top of him.

**Flashback**

"_As you may have noticed, you seem to be dead," Kessler said, striding around Cole. "This is only a temporary thing."_

"_Why is that?" Cole asked._

"_We have no idea," Alden said, his old frame hunched over. "All we know is emotions play a great deal in how a Conduit develops. Take it from me; absolute power corrupts absolutely."_

"_Your body does have a threshold, Cole," John White continued. "If you surpass the power you can control, the results could be...devastating."_

"_There is also a power you have not yet realized, my boy," Bertrand replied. "Every Conduit has potential: the upper ends of that same potential also detail the ability to greatly strengthen one's powers."_

"_What does this all mean?" Cole asked again. Kessler simply shook his head._

"_In the simplest of terms, an action of extreme emotion, be it pain or anger, can trigger an enormous spike in energy. For such a powerful Conduit such as yourself, this would likely cause extraordinary things to happen: the creation of the portal that transported you and Lucy Kuo here, for example."_

"_So if I become hurt or angry enough, I can unleash an immense amount of power?" Cole asked, thinking they knew the truth but just wouldn't tell him._

"_Of course," Kessler replied. "I think you of all people should realize that about now," he said, and then a flash of light brought Cole back._

_The energy surged within him and all of a sudden he was lifting the massive ship that should have squashed him like a bug._

**End Flashback**

Cole opened his eyes to the sound of the holocom system activating. Turning around, he was greeted by the image of Master Yoda. "Do you have an assignment for me?" he asked, wondering what the diminutive Jedi wanted.

Yoda shook his head. "Grave news, I bear. Sent to Alderaan, your friend Kuo was. En route, she was, when Count Dooku arrived with a small fleet. Captured her, he has; find them you must."

Cole felt the floor drop out from under him. Dooku had swooped in and kidnapped Kuo, the only link he had to Earth? The rage flowed through his veins, almost like a drug.

"Where is he?" he asked slowly, trying not to shout or rage around the bridge.

"To a fortress, he has taken her," Yoda replied. "The coordinates, I will send you." His image blinked and disappeared altogether. A small set of numbers came up on the console, indicating the location: the planet of Aargonar.

Cole turned to face the bridge window as the ship entered hyperspace. He would not fall unconscious this time; there was too much at stake for him.

"I'm coming, Kuo," he muttered. "May God have mercy on those who stand in my way, because I won't show any."

One hour later...

The desert-like planet was scheduled for an invasion, but Cole decided to surprise the enemy droids. With his troops currently engaged and winning easily, Cole flew through the air towards the fortress.

Upon reaching the outer wall, Cole noticed there were no droids or turrets anywhere. Frying the control panel, he pushed through the opened door and made his way into the dark tunnels.

"Something is not right," he thought as he passed a row of deactivated droids. "Why am I not being resisted?"

As if on cue, a light shone forth overhead and the row of droids he had passed activated. Turning around, he was able to dodge a downward sweep of the sword-like appendage of a droid.

"Commando droids," Cole snarled, leaping at them in a fury. Each blast perforated the walls with chunks of droid as Cole swept through them. Within minutes they were all destroyed.

"That was too easy," he thought as he wandered his way through the fortress. The darkness would have been overwhelming if not for the light emanating from his eyes like a flashlight.

The corridors suddenly stopped at a large door. Opening it, Cole found himself in a large hangar, with the doors to the outside slightly open.

"Kill him," a voice commanded. Suddenly a mass of droids swarmed the area, the cloaks they wore moving as one single entity: magna-guards. Each whipped out an electrostaff in mid-step, casting the entire area in a pink glow.

Cole blasted his power outwards, frying many where they stood. He quickly turned and chucked grenades everywhere, the explosions decimating the droid numbers. Every blow only strengthened him, much to the detriment of the droid attacking. Soon enough, there were no droids left: the pieces littering the floor were evident enough of that. Cole turned to where the voice had originated from to see none other than Count Dooku standing on a balcony, with Lucy Kuo strapped to a raised platform.

"It seems we keep underestimating you," Dooku said, sounding mildly impressed. "If we had soldiers like you, this war would have been over long ago, or even been over before it started. Thanks to your friend here, we now have the knowledge to do it."

Kuo let out a harsh cuss, earning a shock of lightning from Dooku's hand. Her scream echoed through the hangar, igniting a firestorm of fury in Cole's belly.

"As I was saying, imagine if our soldiers were cloned, just as your troops were. But herein lays the difference: ours would be capable of truly miraculous deeds. Freezing armies where they stood, rendering fortresses unassailable and controlling the flying conditions of the enemy: we would be unstoppable, a true force of change."

"I must take my leave," the count said, exiting through a pair of doors. Repeating slams from further and further down indicated more doors were shutting behind him: he was taking no chances with being followed.

Cole flew up to where Kuo was laying and quickly undid her restraints, his lightning making short work of the frosty manacles. It was bad enough Bertrand wanted to start an arms race with Conduits to start genocide: Count Dooku wanted a cloned army of them to take over the galaxy. "Are you okay?" he asked, helping her to her feet.

"No," she said, sounding on the verge of throwing up. "What they did made Bertrand's experiments feel like fun. I want that bastard dead, Cole." Her breathe became hitched with dry heaving: he really had done a number on her.

Cole's fury had peaked: this poor woman had experienced even worse pain than before? It was time to begin the end of this war, once and for all. Cole had a certain man in mind who would come to know his fury.

"Stay here and radio in your position: a gunship will arrive shortly," he said. Turning away, he let his righteous anger flow into his power, causing lights to flicker and power couplings to pull away from the walls. At the crescendo of gathering lightning, he let go: the release was immense.

Count Dooku found himself eyeing the datachip he had placed the new information on. The droids would soon be expendable machines at best; the new soldiers he would create would dominate every theater of war. The Republic would be rebuilt, just as he had knew it needed to be all those years ago. He had left the Order to try and change things, and now he was part of the faction seeking to remake everything that had become corrupt and filled with decay.

A massive boom echoed through the facility, causing the count to look up at a monitor. A blaze of light was smashing through every door between him and the hangar, ripping through the metal as if it were nothing.

"MacGrath," he muttered, realizing it was time he beat a hasty retreat. Running through another series of corridors, he activated every door lock with the Force. More booms echoed through the fortress, getting closer and closer.

Dooku was about to enter the last corridor before reaching his private hangar when an explosion ripped the door behind him out of the wall. Spinning quickly to avoid the huge durasteel frame, he saw Cole MacGrath standing before him, but unlike anything before.

Cole's eyes were a blinding light of electricity, with tendrils of energy flashing from the corners. His entire complexion had paled and every vein in his body was glowing bright blue, as if lightning was flowing through him. The twisted expression on his face was one of utter fury: the count felt a tremor of fear creep up his spine.

"No!" Dooku shouted as he unleashed a shove at Cole through the Force. Cole flew backwards but got right back up as if it were nothing. With a snarl, he lunged for the frightened count, barely missing his trailing robes. Dooku made a dash for his speeder bike and leaped on, barely avoiding a lightning blast.

The frightened count zoomed outside into the harsh sunlight, only to hear a roar echo from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Cole running after him, kicking up dirt behind him like a whirlwind. Impossible; there was nobody in the galaxy that could match the velocity of a speeder bike.

Cole's form drew closer and closer, determining the count's next course of action. Flaring the thrusters, Dooku shot through a dry canyon and came out the other side. As he did so, he used the Force to tumble several large boulders into his path.

"That should slow him down," Dooku thought as he looked forward once more. Unbeknownst to him, Cole simply ran up along the canyon wall and drew himself parallel to the count's speeder.

"DOOKU!" Cole roared, his voice booming throughout the landscape. With a start, Dooku looked to his right to see Cole's form on a collision course with his speeder. He tried to turn, but the blasted thing just wouldn't: the thrusters were locked in a straight trajectory.

Almost as if time slowed down, Dooku watched as Cole drew back a fist and rammed it into the speeder's engine. The data chip in the count's robe flew out and struck the Conduit on the head, shattering into a thousand pieces. Cole's body continued into the speeder, sending the count flying off. Dooku desperately threw up a Force bubble to lessen his impact, but after bouncing off rocks and the hard dirt, he knew his body had taken a savage beating. An explosion lit up behind him, sending chunks of speeder bike into the sky.

Count Dooku lay against a rock, his right leg useless and his left arm completely shattered. Three of his ribs were broken and he felt as if he had bruised a lung. The blood from his broken nose kept leaking into his mouth, causing him to spit every now and then. The cut on his neck was bleeding slightly, but the warm trickle of blood started to seep into his torn robe. It would take weeks in bacta to repair the damage. He could barely see through the haze of pain and a rapidly-swelling face.

Footsteps punctured his silent agony; looking up through one swollen eyelid, he saw Cole MacGrath standing before him, fists clenched and none the worse for wear. The Sith Lord was in no condition to fight this man: it was likely he never had been.

"Mercy," Dooku begged, never feeling so afraid in his entire life: the Force had seemingly abandoned him in his time of need. Cole simply bent down and picked him up by the scruff of his collar, hoisting the Separatist leader to eye level. His knuckles roughly grazed the count's swollen chin, causing Dooku to wheeze in pain.

Cole's hard stare bored into Dooku's fearful eyes. "You are going to tell me everything," Cole said, his voice a deadly whisper. In all his years across the galaxy, and even among the presence of the most powerful Sith Lord the galaxy had never know, the count had never felt fear of this magnitude.

Dooku could do nothing but comply.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**A/N: Over 9200 hits? You guys are awesome! I don't own Infamous or Star Wars. The original characters are mine and those submitted by people online. Also, is there any chance someone could help me create DeviantArt pictures of this story? Leave a message in the reviews if you can.**

Cole was in his quarters, having just finished his interrogation with Dooku in the detention center aboard the _Resurrection_, where he was being kept under heavy guard and an ysalamri. Even though it was not in his nature to deny medical aid, Cole had been careful as to what kind of medical attention Dooku received. All the information he had extracted was instantly sent to the Jedi Council, but one had been copied by Cole. Even now he was studying the information on his datapad.

"The Rule of Two is applied in this situation," Cole thought as he remembered being told the plans of Dooku and his master. "Dooku is the apprentice seeking to eventually overthrow his master. But just who is this master? Judging from Dooku's account and the same from previous stories by Obi-Wan, this would be the same master who lost his apprentice on Naboo over ten years ago." He was still trying to wrap his head around it when a beep emanated from his door.

"Come in," he said, turning away from a wall as he turned off his datapad. He sat down on his bed as Lucy Kuo came in, looking better than when he had saved her. Her hair had been shorter when she had been rescued again: it was shoulder length at least, and her complexion had cleared up a bit.

Sitting down on the bed beside him, she turned to face him, her eyes filled with thanks. "Thank you for rescuing me," Kuo said. "Again," she added, giving a little smile. "I need to try and stop putting myself in those kinds of situations."

Cole patted her on the shoulder, noticing her skin did not freeze his on contact. "You forget Kuo, I became a hero in Empire City and then in New Marais: just because we're in a different place doesn't mean I change. Besides, why would I leave you behind?"

"But you have changed, Cole," Kuo replied, holding his hand in hers. "I've seen it in the way you respond to people; the way you affiliate with your troops and the Jedi. You understand people and try to act according to the situation: you are no longer the loner we studied in Empire City under the quarantine. You have become so much more."

"You mean when you were going to recruit me to fight the Beast?" Cole asked, a slight smirk gracing his face. "As I seem to recall, you were willing to go as far as seduce me into cooperation; the only thing that stopped you was my grief over Trish."

"I... needed to weigh every option, Cole," Kuo replied, blushing slightly at his remark. "You were our only chance; I needed you on board. There truly was no other way: Kessler was right in that regard."

"Well, I must admit you did a pretty good job with the promise of new powers," Cole said. "Though I never will understand why Zeke went along: he probably thought Wolfe could give him something too, though maybe he just wanted to stay by my side."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Cole spoke again. "Do you ever wonder how we got here? To this place, I mean?"

"Well, this is most certainly not the Milky Way Galaxy," Kuo said, rubbing her chin in thought. "I gave it some thought when I was imprisoned, but all I can say is that your energies, combined with those of the Beast, somehow turned the RFI into not only a ray-field inhibitor, but a portal creator as well."

"But why did we travel so far apart?" Cole asked, wondering why she fell to Hoth and he wound up on Coruscant.

"I have a theory: the planet I landed on is almost identical to my powers, so maybe it acted as a sort of magnet," Kuo said. "As for you, Coruscant is so full of electricity, that maybe it did he same."

"Do you regret coming here?" Cole asked, unsure of what else to say to that. Her theory was sound, as the Beast would have likely landed on a planet covered in lava.

"Do I regret avoiding death and discovering something new with someone I know?" she asked. "Not at all: do you?"

Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I still don't know my true reason for being here, but I actually don't mind it. I would never have been able to carry the banner of the Beast and I was not about to doom humanity to extinction because I wanted a select few to survive. I am still the same as I was back in Empire City and New Marais: selfless."

Kuo turned to him, brushing an errant hair out of her face. "Ever since you saved me from the plantation laboratory back in New Marais, I always knew I felt something for you."

"Really?" Cole asked, remembering something Trish had told him in a dream: _find happiness_.

"Now that you've saved me again, I can't help but realize that feeing was so much more," Kuo continued, leaning in closer to Cole.

"I love you, Cole MacGrath," she whispered, her lips meeting his. They embraced and fell backwards onto the bed, and the rest just happened naturally.

The next day...

Cole woke from his peaceful slumber to find Kuo snuggled next to him, her clothes on the floor along with his. Her serene expression was one of love and peace. Luckily for the both of them they had learned to control their powers; he might have zapped her and she might have frozen something precious to him.

Cole quickly got dressed when a beep emanated from his comlink. Quietly answering it, he was surprised to see the image of Yoda. "Is there something wrong?" Cole asked, keeping his voice a whisper. Yoda nodded his green head.

"In need of your services, we are. Lost several Jedi, we have, and no one to lead their forces, there is. Updated they have been, like your troops. Take control, we wish for you to do, as the most capable, you seem to be."

Cole was shocked at this sudden news: he was being given even more troops? "How many am I being given?" he asked.

"Legions 11 and 38, Cole. Also given 14th and 82nd fleets, you will be."

Unsure of what to do, Cole thanked the diminutive Jedi Master and ended the call. Turning around, he saw Kuo had awoken and was sitting up, a sheet wrapped around her body. "Do you have to go?" she asked, getting up and kissing him on the cheek. He let his hand stroke her face, the caress signifying his love.

"I'm afraid so," he said. "This time, when you arrive at Alderaan, I will ensure you land safely. Besides, there is something you must do," Cole continued, returning her kiss. "Several weeks ago I activated various aliens who have powers like us. I wish for you to help teach them to be heroic Conduits."

Kuo nodded and smiled, her face lighting up at the prospect of being helpful. "Thank you; I need something to keep me occupied." Cole smiled and left the room. Kuo turned and quickly got dressed. Within an hour, she landed upon the surface of Alderaan and watched as Cole's ship exited the atmosphere. There was a lot of work to do, and she was sure glad her training with the NSA had prepared her for what was ahead.

That very same day...

Cole had received word from Republic Intelligence on the whereabouts of several Separatist leaders. After he had captured Count Dooku, there had been a minor rebellion within the leadership as to who would take over. As it was, Asajj Ventress had taken the role of Grievous but had abandoned plans for invading worlds in the Mid Rim and was instead focused on rebuilding their forces while consolidating what they had.

Nute Gunray was the next in line for the Head of the Confederacy, so naturally he assumed control. However, his cowardly nature meant the armies and navies of the Separatists would either remain where they were or participate in limited engagements. San Hill of the InterGalactic Banking Clan had been captured previously but escaped, returning to Separatist space to increase funds. Poggle the Lesser and Wat Tambor were currently devising a series of invasions to remaining Outer Rim planets.

Meanwhile, several other political factions were beginning to show disdain for the Separatist cause. The Quarren Isolation League had recently splintered over whether or not to exit their agreement with the Separatists. Several key figures had gone over to side with the Mon Calamari, furthering talks of rejoining the Republic.

A few Separatist-allied senators had been captured by the Republic, further decreasing support from Outer Rim planets. Several systems near Republic space were chafing under the rule of the droid forces and were talking of rejoining the Republic. A few rebellions had sprung up and were quickly dealt with in brutal manner, causing further unrest.

A client of the Commerce Guild had encountered several alien ships along their borders and was exchanging blows near Wild Space. Several intelligence officers noted the ships were similar in design to those seen long ago, when a colony ship under a group of Jedi disappeared into the Unknown Regions.

Cole decided the first thing he should investigate was the report of alien ships. His Conduits could take care of some of the other problems. Within a few hours, his fleets and other legions had arrived at Alderaan. Dozens of ships arrived, ranging from picket destroyers and capital cruisers to troops transports and corvettes. Linking their systems together, Cole watched as the stars became streaks of light, signifying they had entered hyperspace. Lying back in his chair aboard the bridge of the _Resurrection_, he closed his eyes and felt his mind slip away.

Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy...

In Cloud City, on the gas giant by the name of Bespin, five of the Order of Conduits had met to fulfill missions assigned to them by Cole MacGrath. The Sauvax, Trianii, Jawa, Shistavanen and human were among the first to display and harness their powers to their full effectiveness. So, in order to test them, Cole had given them each an assignment to assist in the war effort.

Everyone knew Separatist spies were always on the lookout for information, so keeping a low profile was a top priority. That would have been very easy, if not for the fact that Traaka the Sauvax stuck out like a sore appendage. His kind was rarely seen around the galaxy, so the shadowed corner of the cantina was not entirely successful from keeping people's eyes off him. The others knew this, but they could do nothing about it.

"We all know our missions," Remm the Shistavanen said, displaying a small hologram of the small fleet of fighters they had been given. The damn Ugnaughts had been so persistent in cleaning the ships on the landing pads that they had no choice but to let them. The Trianii called Kilrii nodded, his whiskers twitching as he looked around at the group.

The hulking figure of Traaka spoke up. "I will rendezvous with the Mon Calamari on Dac to help against any invasion by the Separatists. If anything happens, I look forward to crushing droids in my claws," he said, giving a quick snap for added effect. He had a rather deep accent, as he was from a remote and very rough region of his home world.

The Jawa called J'on looked up, the shadows seeming to flow out from under his hood. "I will infiltrate Separatist space and assassinate leaders of local garrisons and sectors. Hopefully this will further destabilize the regions under their control," the Jawa said, his raspy voice indicating he did not always speak Basic. He did not mention the large amounts of credits and favors that would be owed to him by influential third parties: there was no need to trouble the others with that information.

Kilrii and Remm looked at each other. "We will go and deal with Kul Teska," the Trianii said, referring to the Separatist weapons designer. "Rumor has it he has several new weapons designs that could yet turn the tide of this war." They turned to the human Trionis, who up to this point had been completely silent. He never opened up to anyone except Cole, but even then the former soldier remained aloof.

"I will go assist generals Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Jabiim," he said, his curt voice signaling he had nothing else to say. The others knew the generals had been bogged down by the difficult weather and an enemy readily exploiting it. Without support, they would surely be driven from the planet and at the cost of thousands of lives.

"Then we must leave, as there is little time," Kilrii said, standing up. The others did so as well, with Traaka's armored frame taking up a larger section of the seat. "May the Force be with us all," he said.

With that, they all departed in their own ways. Kilrii and Remm walked out the back door to a waiting speeder. J'on seemed to simply vanish into the shadows as if he were never there. Traaka made his way out the main entrance to the cantina, his hulking frame just short enough to squeeze through the entrance. Trionis stayed where he was for a few seconds, and then with military precision followed Traaka out the main doorway before heading off in a different direction.

With that, the war had taken on a new identity. It was no longer Sith versus Jedi and Separatist versus Republic: the Order of the Conduits had joined in the fray.

**A/N2: It is time to say goodbye to Cole for a while, but fear not! He shall return in a few chapters, but now we follow the paths of Conduits.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

J'on Sladezer found himself piloting his stealth fighter over the skies of Nar Shadda, the dim lights from below barely reflecting off of his ship. The industrialized moon of Nal Hutta was a retched hive of scum and villainy, with pollution scarring the landscape and the atmosphere. Long ago, whilst on the trail of a minor bounty, J'on had come to this place: the smell never truly left his nostrils.

His business was different this time: instead of hunting down someone for money, he was here to eliminate a Separatist banker. Ruum Chaaka, a Neimoidian working for the Hutts, was currently channeling funds into Separatist coffers at the expense of his masters. As luck would have it, at the end of his day the banker would take a walk through some gardens owned by his employers.

Setting his ship down, J'on quickly set out for the gardens as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. Even for a bright city like the entire moon had become, there were plenty of dark spaces where someone could hide. Power was always hidden amongst the shadows, and J'on loved power. It only made sense his ability would be influenced by shadows and darkness: they were what suited him the most.

Several hours after darkness had encompassed the area, J'on felt his strength grow. The shadows had always been a part of his life, but now his Conduit abilities had made it his home. In the distance, he saw a pair of figures approaching. Ducking into his hiding spot, he watched as Ruum Chaaka bid his companion farewell and made his way into the garden.

"Excellent," J'on thought as he worked his way closer to the banker. "Time to make a withdrawal." As the Separatist passed a shadowed group of plants, J'on made his move. Leaping out behind the Neimoidian, he drew a long cortosis blade and leaped up to the banker. With a stabbing motion, he pierced the back of the alien and plunged the blade through its heart. Ruum let out a strangled gargle and slumped onto his side, rapidly bleeding out. J'on walked over and withdrew the blade, watching as the life left the eyes of the Neimoidian. He searched the corpse and took the credit pouch, hoping to make it look like a robbery gone wrong. In reality, J'on would never have passed up the opportunity to rob someone, dead or alive: credits were credits and credits bought power.

Turning around, he rushed off and left the area, quickly disappearing into the shadows. A shout sounded from behind him, but he paid it no mind: there was no way he could be seen unless someone had a set of thermal goggles. After a few minutes of leaping through shadows and jumping over railings, he took off in his ship and left the moon behind him. He prepared to enter hyperspace, his next destination in the ships memory banks: the planet of Bonadan.

Within a few hours, J'on landed on a platform outside of the industrial sector of a city on Bonadan. The sun was beginning to set on this planet as well: such fortuitous luck meant he likely be rather successful once again. His next target was the weapons designer Filorum Spax; a human who had been rebuffed years before by several Republic military strategists as being too "unstable". His newest designs included prototypes for flying artillery, lightning-proof droids and a design for a new type of dreadnaught. J'on knew if any of those droids were produced and the plans became knowledge of every designer, then Cole's powers and to an extent the entire Republic's new arsenal could become useless on the battlefield. The cost in lives and equipment would be horrendous and Cole would likely be shamed and shunned by the galaxy for such a foolish idea. J'on didn't care so much about the honorable or right thing to do: this was more profitable than siding with Separatists, so he knew he would stay on the true and narrow, at least for now.

As the Jawa made his way through the industrial buildings, the lights seemed to fade away as the skies grew less and less colored. It was as though the shadows themselves were growing larger and larger: with J'on in the area, it was likely they were. The Jawa looked around a corner to see several large droids unloading cargo into an unmarked warehouse. A short man in a smudged lab coat was shouting at one, his arms flailing madly.

"Do you have any idea what is in those containers?" he shouted, pointing to a dented durasteel crate. "Those are my samples of a new and highly volatile explosive compound! If one of those boxes had been set off, this whole building would be a crater!" The droid didn't respond; it had been programmed for menial labor, not conversation.

J'on listened intently as the human continued to ramble on about droid idiocy and plans for a new kind of laborer droid. "This must be Spax," he thought, slowly drawing closer to the warehouse. "No wonder they thought him unstable: I'd think someone was unstable with a hairdo like that." The droids soon finished unloading the boxes and left, leaving the man to close his doors and lock himself in for the night. Feeling the shadows flow around him, J'on opened his eyes to see he was standing in a dim corner of the warehouse, the insane designer studying some plans not three feet from him.

"Oh Sithspit," he thought, doing a backflip into another set of shadows beside some containers. It was a good thing his powers were silent, or else he might have alerted the human to his presence. Or maybe not: the way the man was rambling, a herd of banthas could have trod through the warehouse and he probably wouldn't have even noticed. Reaching up to the damaged crate's corner, J'on gently pried it open to reveal bundles of clearly marked explosive compounds.

Withdrawing a spare detonator from the depths of his robes, he quickly placed it on a bundle and made his way towards the mad inventor, being more careful to not make a noise. Even as he slowly drew his blade the man still didn't seem to know he was there: perfect. With a leap and a quick slicing motion, he severed the head of the mad weapons designer, causing the body to drop off the chair and onto the ground. "Nothin but neck," he said, chuckling at his own macabre joke.

Working quickly, J'on moved the cooling corpse closer to the explosives, making sure to not leave any sort of evidence the corpse had been moved. Then, in a frenzy similar to when Jawas sell merchandise, he went around and smashed every piece of data hardware he could find and threw it all in a pile on top of the corpse. Looking around the sporadically-filled workshop, J'on stripped everything small of value he could from the place, including credits, non-essential blueprints and rare metals. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a bag and pushed his pile of goodies into it, sealing the end with some string. With the black market flourishing during the war across the galaxy, many of these items would fetch a hefty price. It was a good thing he had remembered the bag, lest he miss out on any valuables.

Jumping with his bag of goodies through the shadows he used as portals, J'on reached his fighter and took off as the stars became clear in the night sky. After exiting the atmosphere, he retrieved the detonator and activated the explosives far below in the warehouse. Below him, a massive plume of fire rose from the planet's surface, signifying the warehouse and likely a large area of the industrial district had been vaporized.

"There goes those droid plans," he thought as his ship entered hyperspace. The safest bet was to follow Cole until he could go off on his own. He just needed some way to make those dreams come true.

Over the next few hours, J'on eliminated dozens of spies, suppliers and leaders across Separatist space. An allied prince on Mygeeto, an administrator in a droid factory on Hypori, aides of Separatist senators, competent quartermasters inside Separatist fortresses; they all fell before him. After a few near-misses and close calls he began to make each hit look like an accident or the work of a rival: J'on soon became very careful at covering his tracks. Within a few days, several sectors had fallen into disarray as the command structures began to crumble. Numerous uprisings began to spread, with anti-Separatist sentiment on the rise. All the while J'on watched his personal fortune grow, along with his list of supporters and business partners.

Pirates began springing up everywhere with loyalties to the Republic, often targeting only Separatist shipping. Swoop gangs, formerly under the pay of the Separatists, began striking at the facilities and supporters of the Confederacy, causing panic among their citizens. The only thing was, these were all for show. In reality, many of them now belonged to the mysterious Shadow Organization, who was run by none other than J'on himself through several dealers and subordinates. Nobody could determine just who or what he was, as he was impossible to find and could only be talked to if he contacted someone.

His actions did not just stop at reconsolidating power among scum and lowlifes. Several of his missions had more implications for the galaxy and the war than even he could have imagined. Mygeeto had fallen into a full-blown rebellion, wresting control from the Confederacy and calling for aid from the Republic. It had grown tired of the neglect and abuse visited upon it by its masters on Muunilist and the simmering hatred had finally blown its lid. Hypori, as sparsely populated as it was, had descended into civil war across the planet with numerous rebelling factions uniting under the banner of the Republic. The strict trading laws enforced by the Trade Federation and the droid factories spewing weapons of war had grown to be so hated by the populace that they too had finally had enough.

In the chaos following these rebellions, Duro had been spared a long-planned and costly invasion and as a result, food production remained high. Hundreds of thousands of clone troops were resupplied that otherwise would have gone hungry, increasing an already high morale and strengthening the Republic's armies and navies. Meanwhile, due to the drastic rise of attacks on Separatist shipping, several supply chains had been cut and formerly fortified Separatist planets resisting the Republic found themselves going hungry. Faced with food shortages, almost no weapons and the specter of starvation, the local non-droid garrisons soon surrendered and the planets fell under Republic control. Within days entire sectors had fallen under the Republic once more and the Separatist war machine began to show signs of crumbling altogether.

Meanwhile, on the stormy planet of Jabiim...

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi looked up at the thundering sky, miserable and understandably upset. The dark brown mud surrounding them was slowly sinking the supplies stacked on top of it, and every Jedi, clone and officer on the planet was absolutely drenched to the bone. The electrical fields from the storms interfered with communications and repulsorlifts, rendering the gunships and hover tanks useless. The enemy had taken full advantage of this and was dug in hard, requiring exhaustive trench-to-trench fighting and wariness in the troops of possible ambush sites.

"Great," Anakin muttered as another roll of thunder sounded overhead. "Just what we need: more rain." Obi-wan looked up at him from his new water-proof datapad, the rain flowing off his hair in a torrent. He had not shaved in what felt like months, and at the rate he kept getting splashed by stagnant water, he'd likely have a _green_ beard by the time it was all over.

"Would you rather be on Tatooine?" he asked, smirking slightly at Anakin's groan. As much as his apprentice hated the all-consuming rain, Obi-wan knew he'd rather stay on Jabiim than back on Tatooine. There was something about the sand that just got on everybody's nerves. He looked up to see a ship descending through the clouds, a halo of ionized air sparking around it. The design was not something used by the Republic or the Separatists: it was a Fresian private shuttle. They were not that widely used, but were not at all uncommon: it was just an unusual ship to see on a war-torn planet.

"I wonder who that could be," Captain Rex said, the mud splattered across his chest from when he tripped. Even with all the rain it wouldn't wash out right away. He had somehow found a way to keep the inside of his helmet dry whenever he took it off, but even then he had to towel off his head before replacing it. The ship landed and a cloaked figure exited the cockpit, his tall frame signifying he was not another Jedi or some non-clone commander. Nobody in this sector of the war was that tall: who could it be?

As he drew closer, Anakin saw the man's outfit had a peculiar symbol on the chest: it looked like a fist holding a lightning bolt. "Excuse me: who are you, exactly?" he asked as the man removed his hood. A bald head and a hard face greeted the Jedi pair and the clone captain.

"My name is Trionis Dejar, former officer of the Republic military and member of the Order of Conduits," he said, his curt voice showing the definitive signs of military training. His posture was straight, though he did not salute the generals at first; perhaps time in that Separatist prison had replaced some of his training.

"What do you mean former?" Obi-wan asked, raising an eyebrow. As he recalled, the military of the Republic had been pitifully small before the Clone Wars: there wasn't even a standing army and much of it had been ceremonial. Then again, there were always die-hards and it seems Trionis had been receiving actual military training in his stint.

"I was honorably discharged shortly after the war began, sir," Trionis replied. "Then, when everything seemed to be about to start up, I joined a freelance group of mercenaries trained to raid ships. I was at several engagements as a captain and a medical officer, including the assault on a droid control ship during the Battle for Geonosis. While I was home afterwards during a week of leave, the Separatists invaded and slaughtered my family during the opening bombardment. I was captured amongst the survivors and taken to a prison facility where I was later freed by General Cole MacGrath." He pointed to the symbol on his chest. "This is the mark of our Order, and the bars below signify I am one of the originals from the prison."

"Why are you here?" Captain Rex asked, his voice betraying no emotion; Anakin knew he was always wary of strangers. A man this trained was not someone who just decided to leave a war. With the possibility of revenge on the Separatists, he had most certainly begged for a chance to redeem himself.

Without saying a word, Trionis looked up to the sky and closed his eyes. When he re-opened them, they were shining a dull yellow. As if by magic, the storm began to break up, with the clouds retreating to behind the enemy lines off in the distance. For the first time since they had arrived, everyone looked in awe as the sunshine broke through and lit up the entire area. Several clones removed their helmets to experience air that was not filled by rain. Kenobi covered his eyes slightly as the bright rays lit up the area like a heavenly spotlight.

Trionis looked back at the stunned Jedi and troops. "I was sent by Cole to help you take this planet," he said, gesturing towards the enemy lines. "I can hold these storms back for a while: do you think you can win in that time?"

Obi-wan was the first to respond, breaking the silence. "Well, since the storms are gone, our repulsorlifts and gunships should work, along with communications." A few clones shouted their comms were working with the frontline troops, confirming his suspicions.

Anakin nodded in agreement. "Then what are we waiting for? Everyone, move out!" he commanded as the gunships rumbled to life. The floating tanks turned on and moved towards the enemy lines, screened by the advancing forces of the clone squads. Off in the distance, the enemy seemed to be in disarray: their number one advantage had mysteriously disappeared.

Within hours of the weather clearing up, the battle for Jabiim was over. The leaders of the anti-Republic forces had been either killed or captured and the majority of the Jedi had survived the ordeal. With Jabiim secured, the nearby hyperspace routes were under Republic control and the nearby systems allied with the Confederacy would soon fall as well. In the meantime, bases would be set up for the troops to inhabit as the storms returned. Even then there was talking of specially outfitting troops and equipment for combat in the rain and mud, as Cole's new electrical tools didn't seem to function in the high moisture content.

On the surface, Anakin and Obi-wan were walking with Trionis past several prototype AT-ATs. The large walkers were excellent in any kind of weather, but the lack of defensive turrets around the legs made them vulnerable to counterattacks and sabotage. With the repulsorlifts now running, it was easy for small tanks to keep any enemies at bay while the hulking machines dealt out massive damage to the enemy.

"How exactly did you do that?" Anakin asked, unsure why Trionis had not joined the war effort sooner. If he had come to Jabiim sooner, then several Jedi would still be alive and many of the dead clones would be in fighting condition.

"I am a different kind of Conduit than MacGrath: simply put, my powers allow me to control the weather," Trionis replied. "Of course, there are limitations." With that, he walked over to a command tent, laid down on a bunk and fell asleep.

"Not the most talkative fellow, is he?" Obi-wan said, a wry smile forming. Anakin had to agree; unlike Cole, Trionis was entirely militaristic and it showed in his personality. Both Jedi turned and looked up as the rain returned.

Oh well: not everyone can be the same.

**A/N: Well what do you think of the Conduit Order's members so far? Stay tuned for next week for more!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**A/N: I am _so_ sorry I didn't publish yesterday, but things just sorta got in my way. From now on, I'll publish every Monday US Central time: promise! Also, over 11,000 hits? This keeps getting better and better!**

The weird darkness of hyperspace enveloped the small private shuttle, sealing in what little light was given off by the cockpit's controls and various blinking lights. Remm deTana Shova sat in his pilot chair, fiddling with a few buttons while his long cloak lay rumpled behind his back. Being raised by a family of Corellians had taught him the value of knowing his ship, and he had become quite the expert on tinkering with things. Kilrii Ne'ando sat across from him in his peculiar set of armor-like robes, examining a dossier on the Separatist designer with the dignified serenity and patience one received whilst serving with the Trianii Rangers.

"It would seem he was disfigured in an accident," Kilrii muttered. "Due to his rampant and rather incessant narcissism, the Skakoan built himself a highly weaponized suit and became a rough and tumble mercenary as well." The hologram detailing the design showed many different weapons systems and an extremely durable set of armor. The only discernible weak spot was the head, and after the Clone Wars had drawn him into conflict with the clone's new weapons, he now had something like a grill placed over his face, with the armored helmet in the back to add protection.

"That'll be one tough nut to crack," Remm said, finished with pressing buttons: it was no fun after you knew what everything did. Besides, the shuttle had no armaments and he felt somewhat defenseless, since neither of their powers worked out in space. "Where is he now?"

The cat-like alien shook his head, his fur swaying with the motion. "There's not much information on his movements. What we do know is that he has several contacts scattered throughout the sectors under Separatist control, along with several on Republic planets." He scrolled through the list, mentally checking off planets that would be too hard to land on unnoticed.

Remm smiled a smuggler's roguish smile, a few of his sharp teeth poking through his furry lips. "Then I guess we'll have to pay some of them a visit."

The Trianii nodded and deactivated the device. "Who should our first stop be?" He already had an idea in mind, but he wanted to know what the wolf-like alien was thinking of. They had only just met and were already friends of a sort: time in a horrible prison can create bonds that would normally not exist.

The Shistavanen ran through the list in his mind, scratching his hairy chin as he did so. "Well, there is that swoop gang leader on Tatooine," he said. "He's a Weequay by the name of Krol. It would seem he supplies test subjects for some of Teska's experiments, often through violent means." Remm shuddered at the thought of experiments; the ones back on Pzardias were bad enough for one lifetime.

Kilrii scratched his furred chin as well, though more in concentration and less in puzzlement. "Then we will be killing two gundarks with one stone," he said. "Discover information on the designer and take care of a local problem." He was too used to dealing with scum such as these, but this was a bit out of his area of expertise. It was a good thing he had Remm for back-up, lest he be captured or worse. Tatooine seemd to be a safe bet, but their present coordinates would not take them there directly. Coincidentally, the shuttle exited hyperspace only a few systems away from Tatooine. A new set of coordinates and an hour later, Kilrii and Remm found themselves walking through Mos Eisely space port. Luckily the sand was not billowing as it normally did, or else both aliens would have needed fine-tooth combs to sift it from their fur.

"Such a retched hive of scum and villainy," Kilrii muttered as several drunken smugglers passed by. One made a few jeering calls at the pair, earning a hiss from Kilrii as his fur bristled. He had always had a bit of an anger issue with smugglers, and ones like these did nothing to help his annoyance.

Remm patted him on the back. "Relax," he said, making his way towards a cantina. "We may have clean-ish records, but out here nobody cares what your past is. Unless you killed a friend of theirs," he hastily added as they walked through the door into the slightly-cooler building. Only two aliens looked up a they entered, but they quickly resumed their conversation as if nothing had happened.

"You forget I was a Trianii Ranger," Kilrii replied as they made their way to a secluded corner of the cantina. "I hunted smugglers and the like with my shipmates; I made plenty of enemies." A waitress came by and took their orders for a drink, returning quickly with two glasses of Corellian brandy. With a pair of thanks and a deposit of a few credits, the two Conduits were left in peace.

"I was a freelance bodyguard," Remm replied, looking into his glass. "It was my duty to protect wealthy clients, and more often than not clean up after them. If only I could have made it as merchant, like my parents." his ears drooped slightly at the mention of his father and mother.

"What happened to them?" Kilrii asked, watching as a pair of Bothans passed by. Everyone knew Bothans were neutral spies-for-hire: they could be your ally one day and your enemy next week.

"They were killed by a group of pirates," Remm said, setting down his glass. "The derelict ship I was left on was found by some travelling Jawas. They brought me to an orphanage on Corellia where I was adopted by a family of humans. They raised me, fully aware I was completely different from them."

"I am sorry to hear that," Kilrii replied, his whiskers twitching.

"That's alright," he said, taking another sip of his drink. "I guess we both-" he was cut off as his nose twitched: he smelled something. Kilrii's ears twitched at the same time: their target was here.

"Don't look just yet," Kilrii said, watching the doorway. "Weequay, followed by a Rodian: it must be Krol and his second in command."

Remm eventually turned around so as not to arouse suspicion. Yep; there was Krol and his Rodian lieutenant, Sloos. Kilrii and he had already decided to wait for them to leave and then to follow the swoop bikers back to their base. Hopefully the pair wouldn't be spotted, or else they might have a full-blown showdown on their hands.

It would prove to be a lengthy wait. After consuming an alarming amount of alcohol, the swoop leader and his second-in-command not so much walked as stumbled out of the bar. Kilrii and Remm stood up and made their way out of the cantina, passing through the doorway to see the gang speed off, leaving a trail of dust.

"I will follow them from the air," Kilrii said. Remm nodded and sank into the ground, rapidly burrowing through the earth like a worm. Kilrii rose silently into the air and flew after them, flying high above the ground. Beneath him, he could barely see the bump in the ground where Remm was moving.

After about an hour of travelling, the Trianii saw the swoops turn into a small canyon cave. Floating down, he hid behind a rock and peered around the edge. The gang leader was sitting at a table, playing some sabaac with a few more bikers. More were guarding the entrance, blasters and rifles slung at their sides.

A slight rumble signaled the arrival of Remm; within seconds, he came out of the ground like a fast-growing plant. With a shake of his body, he expelled a cloud of dust from his fur.

"I still don't like it when I have to do that," he said, picking a rock out of his fur.

"Never mind that," Kilrii said. "How are we going to interrogate Krol?"

Remm pondered this quandary for a few seconds. "Why don't we ask him outright, and make our way from there?"

"They'll probably shoot at us," Kilrii countered, knowing his powers couldn't absorb blaster bolts.

"I know that," Remm replied in an exasperated tone. "Besides, we can take these guys. It's not like they're an army or something."

They simultaneously stepped out from behind the rock, stopping when they saw the guards draw their blasters. Krol looked up from his game and called out to his guards. "Check them for weapons."

The guards slowly approached, their blasters most definitely not set for stun. Remm and Kilrii slowly nodded to each other and acted. Remm dropped to the ground, feeling as the rock and stone covered him like a suit of armor. Kilrii flew into the air at the same time, sending out pulses of sonic booms.

Several surprised guards went flying from the force; others started blasting away. Kilrii zipped through the air, avoiding the bolts as they whizzed past. Remm got up from the ground and charged over to the group, ignoring the bolts striking his armored frame. With a twirl he caused several rocks to fly up from the ground and smack some thugs in the head, knocking them out. Running closer to another pair, he picked them up and smashed them together.

A large cluster of thugs regrouped behind the Shistavanen and prepared to fire a volley into his back. Seeing this, Kelrii quickly spun around in mid-air and summoned a small tornado. It plowed through the thugs, sending them flying apart from their weapons. Remm gave a salute of thanks and approached the swoop cave.

A swoop thug picked up a rocket near the back of the cave and fired it. Thinking quickly, Remm summoned a pillar of stone from the ground in front of him. The rocket impacted on the stone, detonating harmlessly. Remm sent a tremor through the ground, resulting in a pillar of stone erupting directly beneath the thugs. The gang members were sent flying into the air, hitting the cave ceiling in a series of thuds. Their limp bodies fell back to the ground, not rising from where they had landed.

Kilrii flew into the cave to see Krol raise his hands in surrender. "What do you want?" the swoop leader asked, clearly scared. The pair of Conduits approached him, making sure he was unarmed.

"We want to know about Kul Teska," Remm said, his voice distorted by the rock surrounding his head. The biker's eyes went wide with fear.

"You have no idea what he'll do to me when he finds out I told you something," he said.

"I think we can guess," Kilrii said, becoming impatient. "Now talk; where is Kul Teska?"

The Weequay frantically told them everything he knew about Kul Teska. It seemed he would be visiting a secret laboratory in Beggar's Canyon to conduct an experiment on a new kind of blaster.

"Then that's where we will be waiting," Remm said. The pair left the cowering swoop biker in his cave, heading back to the spaceport the same way they came from. As the twin suns set below the horizon, the pair of Conduits entered the motel they were registered at. Bidding each other goodnight, they went to their adjacent rooms and fell asleep. Tomorrow would be a new day, and a dangerous one at that.

Meanwhile, on the planet of Ryloth...

The Republic's fight against the Separatists was going badly to say the least. Surprise attacks through the caves dotting the landscape had splintered several forces and now the rest were under a general retreat. The commander was just about to call in another withdrawal when a voice crackled over the comms.

"Three Conduits are en route to your position, commander. I suggest you tell your troops to take cover." The clone felt like scratching his head: who in the world was coming to help him? The only Conduit in the war he had heard of was General MacGrath: were more around than he thought? He looked up into the sky to see a very small fighter fly away from a larger shuttle. In an instant, the fighter vanished as if it had never been there and two small specks appeared in the air. As he watched, both seemed to grow in size as they plummeted towards the oncoming droids. Suddenly, as if by magic, one became a massive fireball and the other became what could only be described as a giant ball of ice. They struck the front of the droid lines simultaneously, obliterating a massive chunk of the droid army in one fell swoop. The dust cleared from the air as both sides tried to come to terms with what was happening before their eyes/sensors.

Two aliens stood up from the impact point: a Zabrak and a Vuvrian. With a wave of its hand, the Vuvrian created a floating ice chunk, which it jumped on and began riding towards the droids like a speeder bike. The clone commander watched in disbelief as the Zabrak coated himself in fire and ran towards the droid lines as well, flames shooting from his palms like flamethrowers. Entire sections of the droid's advance force melted under the intense heat, many exploding as their blasters detonated. A lashing motion from his right hand sent out a wave of fire similar to a whip, whirling around an AAT and slicing through it as though it were butter. An artillery piece fired at the figure but missed: the responding fireball vaporized everything within a hundred yards.

The clone commander was speechless as the Vuvrian whirled his arms around and created an ice storm on the right side of the droid army, freezing droids in blocks of ice. Any blaster bolts sent his way were deflected by what could only be described as shields of ice. Another whirl of his arms sent a virtual tornado of ice shards plowing through the droids, causing many to fall over as the ice pierced their chassis and damaged them beyond functionality.

Back at the command post of the droid army, the Separatist-allied Twi'lek looked on in disbelief. His army was being obliterated before his very eyes. "We must retreat!" he said, not noticing the figure hiding in the shadows behind him. The figure waved a hand and the expression of the commander flickered for a brief second.

"No," he said, sounding a bit confused. "We must send all available droids into battle." Ignoring the cries of anger from his fleshy commanders, he pressed several buttons on a console, instructing his droids to do such that. In the case of supreme orders, there was no reversing or changing these instructions. The Twi'lek remained in a state of bliss unawareness as the figure behind him crept silently out of the room.

"It is complete," he said, speaking into a comm as he made his way to a small fighter. His feelers slithered slightly as he spoke, a if they sought to feed on the commander he had left behind. His instincts were no longer controlling him as they once had: for now, at least, he could absorb others at his own wish. "I'll meet you at the rendezvous point."

"Excellent work, Disreous Be-jab," the voice of the Vuvrian said over the comm. "I shall see you there: Saleminos out."

"I shall be there as well, though don't expect me to save the day by myself, you two," the Zabrak said over the comm, his smile almost audible over the sounds of battle. "This is the oh-so-ever hot Masej Frob signing off!" With that, his call ended and a massive explosion lit up in the distance: he had hit the artillery stockpile.

"Show-off," Disreous mumbled as he climbed in the fighter. "Kuo specifically said we were not to be interviewed or detained by the clones. I agree with her on one part: Palpatine would take us off the front and we wouldn't do any good selling the war." With a rumble the ship rose into the sky and headed for the designated point.

Back at the battle site, things were not going so well for the droids. The clone troopers, during all the fighting, had been steadily retrieving any injured or trapped troops. As things were, if the bizarre aliens not arrived when they did, things would have turned out very, very badly. Explosions and blasts of super-cold air swirled around the area, not showing any signs of weakening. Droids were unable to shoot, as the enemies were moving too fast for many of their sensors. One was able to get off one shot, but sadly shot its fleshy commander right in the back of the head. Even as the corpse fell, the two impossibly-gifted aliens descended on the army amidst a maelstrom of fire and ice.

Within minutes, the battle was over. The entire droid army had either been put in a deep freeze or was cooling into slag as the two aliens reeled in their powers. One of Saleminos' many eyes spotted several clones approaching them from behind. "Time to go, Masej," he said, starting to hover in mid-air as a plume of ice vapor emanated from his feet.

"Aw, can't we enjoy the celebrity for a little bit?" the Zabrak fake-whined to the Vuvrian. "We'll be heroes."

"Heroes who cannot help with the war if we have to fight it on the enemy's terms," Saleminos responded, crossing his arms.

"All right, I guess we'll go," Masej said, plumes of fire sprouting from his feet. "Race you there, snowball!" With that, he shot up into the sky and zoomed off, faster than any landspeeder or even a speeder bike.

"Hothead," the Vuvrian muttered as he soared after him.

**A/N2: Well, I guess I must recant an earlier statement. I will include all the OCs submitted by people for this story. Sorry the last three seem a bit rushed: it came at the last second and I want them to remain a bit more mysterious.**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Traaka was uncomfortable in his ship. Even though it had been expanded to fit his frame, he still felt as though the walls of the cockpit were closing in around him. Add to the fact his claws weren't the best for piloting, even with his rather hidden fingers, and his frustration was building. The lines of hyperspace slowly disappeared as he exited and found himself over the skies of Dac. He saw a group of Separatist ships off in the distance, only part of the fleet attempting to take the planet. A warning blare emanated from his console: he was being hailed.

"Who are you?" a voice came over his loudspeaker. The voice was not a droid: likely a Neimoidian or a similar comms specialist aboard a Separatist ship. Traaka couldn't immediately tell, for the accent was rather thick.

"Traaka, emissary from the Republic and a member of the Order of the Conduits," he said, seeing no reason as to lie.

"You will turn away or face destruction," the voice said again, sounding angry. Yep: definitely a Neimoidian.

"I'm not going anywhere: I have a mission to undertake," Traaka answered, knowing things were going to end badly.

"So be it, fool," the voice said on the other end of the line. The called was terminated from the Separatist end as dozens of pinpricks of light shimmered in the distance. Using something similar to a telescope built into the ship's sensors, the Sauvax saw it was a swarm of fighters.

"Damn," Traaka muttered as he piloted the ship towards the surface. Another alarm blared; the droid starfighters were locking onto his signature.

"This just keeps getting better and better," he said as the blaster bolts whizzed past his cockpit. As Traaka entered the atmosphere several bolts struck his fighter, causing sparks to fly from the damaged wings. He spun out of the way of a pair of missiles, watching as they streaked past and detonated harmlessly in front of him. Another few bolts struck the engines, causing a series of small detonations: his ship was going to explode.

"I guess I'll have to do this the hard way," Traaka thought. As he drew closer to the ocean's surface, he leveled out his fighter. Smashing through the canopy with his massive claws, he leaped out of his seat and into the air, rolling away just as the craft spiraled into the ocean. As he himself landed in the water, a large plume of water shot forth from the crash site, signaling his fighter had exploded. Traaka let himself sink slowly to the bottom, his gills kicking in to compensate for his sudden immersion. Looking up, he watched as the droid starfighters flew around where he had landed and then sped off, likely believing he had been destroyed. Luckily his toughened hide had only been strengthened further by the unlocking of his Conduit abilities; otherwise he might have been torn asunder by the impact.

"Now that that's over, it's time to find the Mon Calamari," he thought, swimming through the seas with his powerful paddle-like legs and tail. He swam slightly above the murky bottom, his movements leaving a swirl of muddy water behind him. As he swam, Traaka remembered the planet's resistance had been driven into the oceans by the droids, who had quickly taken the land and were poised to invade the watery depths. The Quarren had splintered and now there was a significant force of them allied with the free Mon Calamari.

"I hope I can find them quickly," he thought. "Even with my newfound abilities, there's no telling what sea creature may attempt to make a snack of me."

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant in the Jedi Temple...

Shaak Ti was meditating in the Council Chambers with Master Yoda. Recent events had come to pass that signified the war would soon be over, but she still had a nagging feeling the bloodshed might not end with the war. The chancellor had become increasingly vocal about having Jedi generals lead groups of inexperienced Jedi out into battle alongside clone legions. Add that to the rumblings of mistrust he had instigated against the Conduits, and it would seem he was trying to build up to something revolutionary. However, the thing that had worried her most was not what was happening outside the temple; it was what was happening in the temple's dungeon-like basement. Grievous had given them everything he had known, and the results had absolutely decimated the Separatists. Count Dooku's surrender had given them even more information, but he was being dealt with: Grievous was not.

He had recently become withdrawn and reclusive, or at least as reclusive an imprisoned cyborg with a very long history of violence could be. He had refused to talk with any other Jedi besides her, and his self-mutilation meant he couldn't eat, though it was likely he never would. Since normal food was out of the equation, it had been required that he would be injected with nutrients. As with everything else, he refused to let anyone else do it, even her; he had difficulty using his mechanical feet like hands, but it was a struggle he seemed to relish. On certain nights, the entire temple felt a stirring of unease; cries could be heard, but the former general would deny it was him. Early in the morning he would be found curled up, as if his dreams had beaten him in his sleep.

Shaak Ti dismissed herself from the Council Room and made her way to the general's cell. As she approached the door leading to the room, she heard something she could not believe: crying. Not deep sobbing, not cursing or angry coughs: actual heart-felt crying. Entering the room silently she walked over to see the general leaning against the wall in his cell. Tears were rolling down his face, the drops falling from his metal mask onto his bed. He was murmuring several key words in his native language, but Shaak Ti couldn't make them out.

"Ronderu," he muttered, his voice seeming to contain both sorrow and anger: had the general finally broken down? "Ronderu Iij Kummar, the gods would not let me see you for a last time. In my grief, I have become the very thing my father warned me of: a monster." His ramblings ceased in an instant, and his head perked up as though he had heard a whisper in his audio receptors.

His eyes opened and he turned his head to stare into Shaak Ti's eyes, but he seemed to not notice her or care what she heard. The tears continued to roll down his faceplate as he muttered. "I have lost it all," he continued, his yellow eyes welling up with tears once more. "My wives, my children, my home: it is gone from me. My people starved and I could do nothing. My people bled from invasions, and nothing I did could bring us peace. My family has either died or disappeared; my body is no longer a vessel for a soul." Grievous turned away from the Jedi and lowered his head. "The blood of a Jedi Master flows in what is left of my veins, and it does me no good. The accursed Force brings me no peace; only despair."

Shaak Ti was shocked by his words, but also greatly saddened. The most pitiful of creatures were not the ones who had been forsaken; they were the ones who had given up everything for a chance of a life and lost it all. Grievous had been through so much suffering and caused so much, it seemed the strain had finally broken his resolve.

Deactivating the shield holding the general in his cell, Shaak Ti activated a magnet in the floor that instantly stuck his feet to the ground. Even if he tried to escape, though it seemed he would not, the force of the magnet would likely tear off his legs. But move he did not; it seemed he didn't even notice. Shaak Ti signaled another Jedi to watch as she sat down next to the grieving general. Reaching up slowly, she placed a hand on his metal mask.

He didn't flinch; instead he looked into her eyes and seemed to lose his anger. All that remained in his cloud of emotions was sadness. But Shaak Ti could feel a deeper emotion, buried under his mountain of agony. It was not anger, nor was it more sorrow or even pain: it was loneliness. The general had never been in contact with anyone since his accident and transformation: he had been simply a tool and was seen and used as one. His heart had become a shell, no matter how healthy it appeared in his chest cavity.

"Shaak Ti," he muttered, his voice almost a whisper. His voice processor made a slight buzz when he whispered her name, but it was easily overlooked.

"Yes?" she replied. She had never had this much conversation with him since he had given them everything he knew about the Separatist war machine.

"My real name was Qymaen jai Sheelal, of the planet Kalee," he said. "Where were you born?"

Shaak Ti was a bit taken aback by his question. Withdrawing her hand, she folded it in her lap. "I was born on Shilli."

"How do you Jedi do it?" he asked. Shaak Ti was confused: do what?

"What do you mean?" she asked. The general glanced over at the other Jedi and tuned back to her.

"How do you find peace in a galaxy so torn by war and populated by suffering?" he asked. "How do you not fall into the traps of horrible decisions so many other beings do?"

Shaak Ti was not exactly sure how to respond. The Jedi were peacekeepers who had been given the ranks of generals: they were not the best to answer this question, as some had fallen from their ranks, like Dooku. "We train ourselves to let go of our emotions, even if it means giving up what makes us individuals."

Grievous nodded slightly, as if in deep thought. "When MacGrath gets back, I would like to talk to him," he said. "He has freed me from my bonds, but now I am at a crossroads, as you would say."

"What would that be?" Shaak Ti asked. What in the galaxy could have the cyborg this confused?

""You will have to wait and see," the general replied. "For now, I would just like to sit and talk about something other than war and information. Would you stay with me?"

Shaak Ti turned to the other Jedi but saw Master Yoda standing there as well, listening in on their conversation. Yoda nodded ever so slightly, giving her his consent.

"Yes," she replied, making herself comfortable on the bed. Grievous didn't show it, but he felt his frail heart flutter ever so slightly.

Meanwhile, back on Dac...

After what seemed like hours of hiding from sea monsters and eating a passing fish or two, Traaka found himself standing on the edge of an underwater cliffside. Far below and off in the distance, he saw one of the magnificent underwater cities of Dac. Within minutes of him arriving to the edge a small sea horn bellowed in the deep and a pair of Mon Calamari swam up to him with their weapons raised.

"State your business, and choose your words carefully," said the one marked as a captain. Neither looked very friendly, but that was to be expected if your planet was under attack and the invaders could swarm your homes at any moment.

Traaka folded his arms in an authoritative manner, refusing to be intimidated by their weapons. "I come as an emissary from the Order of the Conduits. I have come to represent Cole MacGrath, general of the Grand Army of the Republic and founder of the Order. On your behalf I have been sent to participate in the war effort."

The two fish-like aliens glanced at each other. "Come with us," the captain said after a while, lowering his weapon. "There will be much to discuss."

Traaka swam after the Mon Calamari. The underwater city loomed closer and closer, until the trio swam through a bubbled door. The room swiftly filled with air as the water drained away, leaving Traaka soaking wet. He passed under a series of drying vents and made his way through a series of tunnels, walking behind the captain but followed by the other guard.

Upon reaching a set of blast doors, the captain pressed a series of buttons on a panel. With a beep, the door slid open to reveal something akin to a war room. Several Mon Calamari stood around the room, along with two Quarren. The guards escorted Traaka through the door, though he had to duck to get inside: his Conduit abilities had increased his size to that greater than any known Sauvax before him. He truly had become gigantic, easily two heads taller than a normal human.

"Captain, who is this?" a decorated Mon Calamari asked, indicating Traaka. The Sauvax gave an informal nod of his head, inclining to believe this particular Mon Calamari was a decorated general.

"This is Traaka, an emissary from the Republic," the captain said. "He has been sent by General MacGrath to aid us in our war for freedom." Several other Mon Calamari and Quarren raised their heads at the mention of Cole's name: it would seem his fame had already spread far and wide.

"MacGrath has sent us aid?" an older Quarren asked, his fleshy tentacles twitching with awe. "Well, then he must believe we can win."

A hologram projected from the table, showing a large surface city. "We have been coordinating this plan for months," the decorated Mon Calamari explained. "Before those droids can fight us down here, we are going to strike at them as hard as we possibly can. All across the planet our forces will strike at their armies, but the costs are going to be very heavy. Our main concern is this," he said, indicating a massive tower in the middle of the city. "This tower signals a relay to the entire army across the planet. If we put this out of commission, the communication between enemy groups will be cut and the droid armies will be blind."

The hologram deactivated and a Quarren looked to Traaka. "We will suffer greatly for this assault, but hopefully you can help us turn the tide at this particular point. Will you help us to free our planet from these invaders?"

Traaka nodded; "Of course."


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

**A/N: WOW! Over 12,000 hits?**

It was a still morning as Two-Two-Four finished his patrol. The Mon Calamari had retreated to the oceans, but the armies of droids assembled on the surface would soon descend into the depths to deal with them. His radio crackled in his head: "Be on the lookout for the enemy. They may try something."

"Roger, roger," Two-Two-Four replied, his simple droid programming leaving no room for questioning orders. He turned with his patrol near a stationary AAT, one of a few specially outfitted to do combat underwater. An object moved slightly behind a large rock formation to the north, close to the shallower waters of the ocean. The ocean had seemed unnaturally quiet that morning, and the breeze had an ominous feeling to it: then again, how could a droid feel something like a breeze?

"Go check that out," the droid commander said, pointing off in the direction of the rocks. As several fellow droids spread out, Two-Two-Four felt something his programming shouldn't have allowed; unease.

A blast confirmed his suspicions; several parts of his comrades flew through the air. Off in the distance, a Mon Calamari war horn blared, and a great cheer arose from the sea. Thousands of enemy troops swarmed out of the oceans, firing their blasters at the Separatist forces. Specially modified war vehicles built underwater surged upwards, some with legs like a crab and others hovering like a speeder. Off in the distance, several underwater starfighters burst from the surface and flew through the air, headed straight towards the droid forces.

Two-Two-Four began a retreat, blasting at any enemy he could see. When he had reached the modified AAT, a hulking from jumped clear out of the water and landed next to him, shaking the ground. With a grunt, the behemoth grabbed the tank in its claws, lifted it over its head and threw it through the air. Two-Two-Four aimed and fired at the hulking creature, his bolts peppering its frame: they just seemed to bounce off.

The hulking creature turned to the droid and raised an armored claw, its muscular carapace shining in the light. The blaster bolts had done absolutely nothing; Two-Two-Four's final sight was the massive claw coming crashing down on his head, compacting his body like one might do to a soda can.

Traaka looked down on the smashed droid and turned around. Behind him thousands of Mon Calamari and Quarren soldiers stormed out of the seas, rushing onto the land amidst a flurry of blaster fire. Many of their vehicles began firing missiles and heavy blaster bolts at the droid lines.

"For freedom!" shouted the Mon Calamari general, mounted on a giant armored vehicle that looked like an eel with mechanical legs. The face portion flexed and shot a beam straight through an approaching AAT, melting a hole straight through the chassis. Traaka turned and charged the droid lines, not even feeling the bolts as they struck his armored frame. He rushed an artillery piece and pushed up on the underside of the cannon, flipping it over: it fired off one last round, blowing a nearby barracks to kingdom come. With a mighty leap he flew over the ruined machine and grabbed another AAT, his claws crushing into the metal like it was soft clay. This one also flew through the air, eventually smashing into a pile of artillery rounds. The resulting explosion decimated an entire section of the droid defensive perimeter and left a crater a good three meters deeps.

The droid forces continually retreated further and further into the cities, eventually setting up a new defensive perimeter around the main relay tower. It was a losing battle, but from the Mon Calamari radio chatter, elsewhere on the planet the story was not the same. Several groups of Mon Calamari and their Quarren allies were trapped in several land-based cities and would die unless something was done soon.

"We need to destroy that tower," the Mon Calamari general said to his war council in a recently captured bunker. Off in the distance, his eel cannon tank fire another round into the droid lines, the sound similar to a great bass drum. "Traaka, are you up to the task of taking it out?"

The lumbering Sauvax nodded, one his spiked feet piercing the chassis of a destroyed droid defender. "I will destroy the remaining tanks and artillery so you can move in your own mortars. When those are gone, I will try and find a way to disable the tower."

With a nod of thanks, the general began to discuss his strategy with the others as Traaka exited the building in a rush. All around him wounded Mon Calamari and Quarren were being treated for their injuries while fresh troops continually charged towards the front lines. In the distance rows of the dead had already been set up, prepping for burial upon a still uncertain victory.

Traaka rushed through the crumbling buildings and rubble-strewn streets to find a group of Mon Calamari holed up behind a wall. Ahead of them an AAT floated through the streets, blasting at anything that moved.

"Who's in charge here?" Traaka asked. The captain looked up at the lumbering figure in both awe and relief.

"I am," he said, giving a curt salute. "Captain Akbar at your service, sir." A blast down the street from the AAT's main gun shattered the last intact walls of a house: it instantly collapsed.

"You will advance after I deal with that tank," Traaka said. Not waiting for any questions, he rushed out from behind the wall and charged the tank. As the turret turned to face him, he leaped into the air and landed on the main gun. With a grunt, he tore off the cannon and smashed his claw into the exposed interior, crushing the controls and the droids manning them.

Another blast behind Traaka meant another AAT had arrived, the debris from the impact point peppering the area with shrapnel. Jumping off the disabled tank, he effortlessly picked up the turret and smashed it against the other AAT. With a great wrenching sound the turret piece tore through the metal exterior, effectively ripping the other AAT in half. Jumping down from the smoking husk, Traaka turned in time to see a STAP barreling down on him. He quickly raised his arm and watched as the speeder bike smashed into his arm, barely even affecting him. The bike however tore itself in half, with the lower half skidding on the ground and stopping at the feet of the advancing Mon Calamari. The droid riding the vehicle had shattered like a porcelain figure, its parts strew everywhere.

"This area is clear," Traaka said to the group, who seemed rather stunned by his nonchalance. "If you'll excuse me, I have a tower to take out." With that, he ran off towards the large building, smashing any droid who got in his way.

Traaka stopped as he reached the base of the massive communications tower, the droids all around him destroyed. Raising his armored claws, he smashed them against the structure with all his strength: the whole thing shook with the blow. Again and again he struck, causing larger and larger fissures to form in the frame. Several droids manning the top of the structure fell off as it swayed to and fro, impacting the ground hard enough to leave a small crater. With one final blow the entire structure collapsed into itself, with the metal shearing this way and that. Luckily a piece fell on the most heavily defended section of the droid perimeter, crushing them all but leaving little collateral damage. Traaka looked up to see large groups of Mon Calamari and Quarren converging on his position, cheering madly. Many were shouting about victories across the planet and the departure of the Separatist fleet due to the arrival of a large Republic fleet.

Traaka smiled as celebrations began: Dac had been freed and its people were once again united.

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant...

Grievous had told Shaak Ti everything; his life, his accident, the pain he had continually suffered throughout everything. She had remained mostly silent during his long and frankly one-sided conversation.

"I must take my leave," she said, quietly deciding she would need to meditate on the turbulent emotions swirling in her mind.

"When can I see you again?" Grievous asked, a very slight note of anxiety in his voice. Why _did_ he want to see her again?

"Soon, I hope," responded Shaak Ti as she closed him in his cell and deactivated the floor magnet. As she left, one thought kept entering her mind: does he like me?

Meanwhile, on Tatooine...

Kilrii was the first to rise from his overnight rest. Getting up, he served himself a glass of water from one of the only dispensers in the entire hotel and walked out to the veranda. The twin suns were just beginning to peer over the horizon and the coolness of night was fading fast. "If only this place had some oceans," Kilrii thought as he sipped his water. It had a strong aftertaste, but you couldn't afford to complain on a planet like Tatooine. "Then it might not be so unbearable." Soon the temperatures rose to the normal insufferable degree and he retreated into the cooler interior, where he found Remm eating breakfast.

"Help yourself," Remm said, eating his plate of bantha steak and scrambled urusai eggs. Kilrii sat down and helped himself to some steak and eggs, pouring himself a glass of blue milk to wash it down.

"Why are you eating rocks?" he asked as Remm munched a few in his mouth like candy.

"I don't know why I have the urge," Remm replied, popping another one into his mouth. "It must have something to do with my powers: nutritional value or something like that." They crunched between his teeth as one might crush a peanut: having control over rocks meant he could eat them without breaking his jaw.

After finishing their breakfast, Remm and Kilrii left the motel and rented a speeder. Leaving the city they made their way to the place where Kul Teska was going to arrive, dodging one sandstorm and barely avoiding a band of Tusken Raiders. Beggar's Canyon was not an ordinary canyon: tight turns, dead ends and hidden caves made it an ideal place for a laboratory.

"Do you see him?" Remm asked as they peered over the edge. Far below them groups of people were moving crates and containers from an assembly of speeder bikes and a shuttle.

"Yes, to the right of that speeder," Kilrii replied, pointing out a hulking figure. The armored Skakoan certainly looked impressive, but how would he fare in actual combat?

"Shall we introduce ourselves?" Remm asked, his wolfish grin showing he felt like things were going to get interesting. Kilrii nodded, his whiskers twitching in amusement. They made their way down the side of the canyon, Kilrii flying and Remm simply sliding down on a rock.

Upon reaching the bottom, Remm barely had time to react before a blaster bolt whizzed by his head. They had obviously been spotted and since this was supposed to be a _secret_ laboratory, they couldn't be left alive. He heard a shout from the Separatist mercenary: "Kill them!"

Remm ducked into the ground, rapidly burrowing through it like a worm. Kilrii flew overhead, sending out sonic rockets and avoiding more blaster fire. Remm came up behind several people and pulled them into the ground, leaving only their shocked heads exposed. Ducking back into the canyon wall, he felt a missile barely miss his frame: Remm still felt the shockwave through the rock.

Kilrii blasted a missile headed his way back at the sender: it impacted a crate and caused a large explosion. This set off more and more crates, each headed towards the entrance to the laboratory. The defenders shouted and dropped their weapons, fleeing the scene as the fireballs spread everywhere. Soon enough the doors to the secret base blew open and the entire area rumbled with the force. Above the area a loose boulder shuddered slightly and tilted forward, leaning towards the canyon floor.

Kilrii flew above Kul Teska and fired another sonic rocket at the Skakoan, causing him to fall backwards into the canyon wall. Letting out a roar, the mercenary fired several homing rockets at the Trianii. Kilrii flew every-which way he could, trying to lose the missiles. A burst of rocks from the ground collided with the rockets, detonating them. Kilrii turned to see Remm leap out from a canyon wall and toss a boulder at Teska.

The mercenary blasted the boulder to pieces and turned his fire to Remm. Remm quickly covered his body in a layer of rock and charged the Separatist. With a mighty slam he pushed the mercenary into the rock wall, the impact causing one of his rockets to soar into the air.

"Surrender!" Remm shouted, jumping back from a retaliatory swing. Above him the missile impacted the boulder, causing it to start to fall.

"I will never surrender!" shouted the insane Skakoan. With a mechanical cackle he leveled his missiles and blasters at Remm. "Now you d-," his words were cut off by the boulder crushing him like a bug.

Kilrii landed next to Remm, both of them out of breathe. "Talk about tough luck," Kilrii said, cracking his back: he had taken his last turn a bit too sharp.

"Well at least he's taken care of," Remm replied, knocking a bit of loose rock from his shoulder as his armor fell off. "Come on, we're done here: let's go home." With that they journeyed back up to the speeder, glancing back every now and then to see the surviving people unburying their comrades and making good their escape.

"Should we go after them?" Remm asked as Kilrii started up the speeder. The trail of dust was easy to follow, as it was billowing like crazy outside of the canyon.

"Nah," he replied as they drove off. "They were hired thugs: with Teska dead and the lab destroyed, they won't have someone to pay their wages. So they'll leave and go find work somewhere else." He started to fly slowly up the side of the canyon.

Remm snorted, following him up by climbing the side like a spider. "Then let's hope they find decent work this time."

"I agree."


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Nikaala Grodon and Worlbeeys stood at the entrance of a rather large building on the planet of Saleucami. Their powers had matured almost immediately after the select few from Cole had been sent out on their missions, and Kuo was not about to let two potential sources go to waste. So she sent them on an anonymous tip that experiments of a sinister sort were happening all over the planet.

"This is it," Nikaala mumbled, looking up at the Wookiee. Worlbeeys let out an inquisitive mumble at the smaller Arconan, earning a sharp glace. "No, I don't think this is the best idea we could have come up with, but it's the only one that will work. Just trust me, and follow my lead."

They entered the building and found themselves waiting at a reception desk. The droid, a protocol model, looked up as they approached.

"Ah, you must be Ms. Grodon and Mr. Worlbeeys," the droid said, its voice that of a soothing female. "If you'll follow me right this way, I'm certain we can help whatever is ailing you."

At that, Worlbeeys let out a well-timed cough and Nikaala sneezed in the most convincing manner she could. The rumor was that whoever went into the hospital either never came out or came out with worse symptoms then when they had went in. Nikaala smelled trouble oozing from the place: there were almost no doctors milling about and the only nurse she had seen was a shifty-eyed trandoshan. Definitely not the kind to be a care-giver.

"Oh dear, you both must be rather sick to come to this facility. Please, if you'll step into this room, our doctor will be with you momentarily," the droid said, motioning to a rather spartan room. As the Conduit duo entered, the door shut behind them and a clicking noise began to emanate from everywhere. There were no windows and the ceiling seemed to be vibrating slightly.

"This is not good," Nikaala said as the noise grew louder. Before the Wookiee could turn around and rip the door off to escape, the floor seemed to vanish out from under them and they found themselves sliding down a long tube deep underground. They slid further and further until they landed on a pile of cushions, though Worlbeeys' soft furry body broke Nikaala's fall for the most part.

"Thanks buddy," she said, rising to her feet. The Wookiee gave a noncommittal grunt and rose to his as well, only to find the ceiling was slightly too short for him to stand straight up. Stooping over, he and the Arconan saw the room had only one door.

"We'd better find a way out of here," Nikaala said, her skin shifting to form a darker color. Perhaps it was the low light levels or a sense of unease, but whatever the case she knew it would be better to be prepared.

Opening and walking through the door, the Wookiee stood up as the ceiling was higher than before. As they walked further into the expansive room, the door suddenly shut and disappeared behind a sliding blast door.

"Okay, two times in a row is definitely not good," Nikaala said, her head turning this way and that. "From what I remember, this is definitely not the correct procedure to deal with sick patients."

"You are correct in that regard, Arconan," a voice said from some hidden source. Judging from the volume, it was likely coming from a loudspeaker. "Then again, why would I cure you when we're going to have so many experiments to conduct?"

"I know that voice," Nikaala said, turning every which way to try and find the source. "Show yourself!"

"I might as well," the voice said. A flash of light and the room brightened considerably, revealing a large circular room with multiple steel doors leading to parts unknown. A large viewport was high above the floor and out of reach of even the tallest alien. The alien looking through the glass smiled down at the duo.

"Hello, subjects 1137 and 1138," he said, his voice deeply accented. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Nuvo Vindi and that, I'm afraid, will be the last name you hear."

"What do you want with us?" Nikaala said, standing back to back with Worlbeeys as they surveyed the room. "What have you been doing with all those missing people?"

"Details, details," the alien doctor said, flashing an evil smile. "Suffice to say, they have been my test subjects for many new and wondrous virus vectors. A recent addition, I must say, is quite promising." He held up two vials, one filled with blue liquid and one with red. "I have recreated the Blue Shadow virus, a virus destroyed before it could be used to its full potential."

"You did WHAT?" Nikaala screamed, clenching her fists in an attempt to not transform. "That virus was wiped out long ago: why would you create it again?"

"The Separatists want a way to help win the war, what with the loss of Count Dooku and General Grievous," the alien said. "That is why I have altered it slightly. This red vial is filled with another virus, old and very dangerous, that resuscitates the dead. However, the problem is it doesn't kill the victim at all and has a very low rate of transmission. So," he said, snapping both vials into a machine and watching as the contents swirled together. "I have combined them: the Blue Shadow virus will kill the mind of the subject, and this virus will reanimate the body to serve the will of the Separatists. They seek only to kill, not to eat as other resuscitation viruses happen to do." He sneered at the duo and pressed a button. Instantly, two doors opened and a groan was heard from within the blackness.

Several aliens walked out, each clearly brain dead but for some reason not rotting. "Did I forget to mention the mind is gone but the body stays alive, so there is no problem of them rotting away?" the doctor said, laughing at if he had told a joke. "Oh, how forgetful of me." He spoke over the loudspeaker system, his face becoming serious.

"Kill them, my Virucants."

The lumbering creatures lurched forward, growling as they came towards the alien pair. Another door opened and several more brainless monstrosities came forth, hands stretched out to kill the hapless duo: that is, if they were helpless. But they weren't: they were Conduits and they were not going to go down so easily.

Worlbeeys rushed forward and with a swipe of his paw sent two aliens flying through the air, watching as their bodies smashed into the wall. He snarled in anger when they rose again, albeit with a few broken bones. They limped closer as the whole group began to converge on the pair. Worlbeeys raised his arm again and with a push of his powers, three Virucants flew up into the air smashed into the ceiling. The doctor led out a gasp over the loudspeaker.

"Are you Jedi?" he said, not so much in panic but in awe. "It would seem there is more to you than meets the eye."

"We are no Jedi, you fiend," Nikaala said as she let her power flow over her arms. Soon enough, two blades extended from where her hands had been. Behind her, a long and rather bony-looking tail extended out from her lower back with a long and very wicked-looking blade. A Virucant grew too close: with a slash of her tail the reanimated alien slid to the ground before falling into two pieces.

"Conduits, then," Vindi said, his voice taking a sinister tone. "I had heard rumors of your existence, but I had thought MacGrath was the only one in the galaxy. No matter: when I am done with you, I will be sure to run as many experiments on you as I can." He pulled a lever on the control panel in front of him and another door opened: out stepped three brain-dead trandoshans, each clearly holding a rather large club. Their blank eyes seemed to focus on the Wookiee: they were enemies of the highest order, after all.

Worlbeeys snarled and jumped at the three reptilians as Nikaala lunged for another group of Virucants. Swinging her bladed arms out, she watched as the severed heads of the mindless creatures slid from their necks and fell to the floor with a squelch. Behind her Worlbeeys dodged a club and used his telekinesis to rip it from its user's hands. Whirling it through the air with his mind, he smashed all three upside their heads until they no longer moved. Spinning around, he smashed the wooden clubs together until they were almost pulp, and then made them form into a rough humanoid shape. As he smashed a Virucant upside the head, the club-figure lashed out at a nearby alien and tackled it to the ground, compacting on the creature until it crushed it in its embrace.

Forming a set of blades on the side of her head, Nikaala lunged forward again and slashed open the chests of two more Virucants, sending them spinning to the floor in a flush of toxic blood. Lashing out behind her, she ripped a sneaking Devaronian Virucant apart, sending his limbs everywhere. Several more tried to rise, but her tail blade made quick work of them.

More and more infected aliens poured into the room, but the Conduit duo continued to slice and destroy any in their path. The doctor remained silent, watching the pair destroy everything he sent at them. "It would seem you are too much for these Virucants," he suddenly said as Nikaala sliced down the center with her tail. "However, I will send as many as are needed until you tire and fall. It is only a matter of time."

"I don't think so," Nikaala said, backing up to Worlbeeys as he telekinetically threw another Virucant into a wall. "Worlbeeys, I need you to throw me up at that viewport." With a nod, the Wookiee turned and lifted her into the air, sending her soaring towards the mad doctor while the blades on her arms retracted back into hands. She reached the ledge above the glass with ease, but her momentum did not crash through the glass: it was simply too thick.

She spun around and sent her barbed tail end into the glass, chipping it ever so slightly. The Separatist doctor simply laughed at her efforts. "Foolish Conduits, did you think it would be that easy?" he said, watching as the glass chip just barely cracked away from the viewport. "Only air can get in here, and I'm afraid you can't do anything about that."

Nikaala turned to Worlbeeys: "Think you can do anything about that?" she said, a smile forming on her reptilian face. With a nod, the Wookiee closed his eyes and ceased to move. In almost an instant, his body turned black and lost all form, becoming a mist in the air. A puzzled Virucant took a swipe, but did nothing to the floating shape. With a zooming motion it headed directly to the small pinhole Nikaala had made in the glass and passed through it, causing Vindi to shout in surprise. As the mist filled the room, he tried to reach for his door but found his way blocked by the mist. Soon enough it coalesced once more and the angry Wookiee stood in front of him, arms across his chest and a growl emanating from his throat.

"Oh dear," the doctor said as he was lifted up by his lab coat collar. "This is not good at all." He could only watched as the Wookiee smashed a fist against the glass, causing another small chunk to fall through the same crack. Nikaala smiled and pressed a hand to the hole, managing to slip a finger inside. Then, to Vindi's amazement, her form blurred and shifted until it too was a seething mass, though she seemed to be made of ink or maybe tar. Sliding through the hole with a squelching noise, she plopped onto the console and reformed until her legs were swung over and the tail had disappeared.

"So, Doctor Nuvo Vindi," she said, long blades forming where her fingers were. "Where is the exit for this facility?" Her claws lightly raked the side of his cheek, barely scratching his skin but enough to show she meant business.

The shivering doctor looked behind him. "T-That door," he said, pointing at the only door in the room. "It leads to a separate laboratory and an escape tunnel to the surface."

"Excellent," Nikaala said, her entire form sprouting blades like she was a bizarre collection of swords. "Worlbeeys, I can escort him from here. If you would be so kind as to destroy everything in the laboratory, it would help us immensely." The doctor tried to protest her decision but a glare quickly silenced his objections.

The Wookiee nodded and made his way through the door, walking down a long hallway ahead of them. With a few whirls of his hands, the lab began ripping itself apart and forming an ever-growing ball in the center of the room. With a rather climactic ending, several consoles exploded as the ball compacted under his telekinesis until it was no larger than a melon. The doctor gaped in anguish at the loss of his work as Nikaala pushed him forward. "I assume that big red button was the self-destruct one?" she asked as she pointed to a button lying on the pile of destroyed equipment.

"Yes, i-it is," Vindi said, his face going pale. "We have sixty seconds before this whole place goes sky-high. It takes at least a minute to exit the facility." Judging from his tone of voice, he thought they'd die.

"Well then, I guess we'd better hurry," Nikaala said, pushing him forward. Worlbeeys followed right behind as a series of fail-safes activated around the facility.

Opening a hatch and greeting a breath of fresh air, Nikaala pulled the frightened doctor through as Worlbeeys brushed past as a mist. Just as they ran away from the hatch, a plume of fire shot out from it and a tremendous explosion made the entire ground rumble. The building that had been the hospital fell in on itself and sank into the ground as several other explosions lit up around it.

"Well, there goes your work," Nikaala said as she pushed the doctor towards the shuttle they had arrived on. "Perhaps now you can face the charges leveled against you in court."

Worlbeeys, fully reformed and walking beside her, let out a woofing chuckle. Pressing a button on the side of the ship, he watched as the ramp lowered and within the blink of an eye, they had left the planet of Saleucami behind, with one Doctor Nuvo Vindi in tow.


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**A/N: Well, after a month of remaining out of the way, Cole has returned! However, he'll meet someone almost everyone who knows of the Expanded Universe should know about. Also, 14,000 hits? Wow: simply... wow.**

So it was that the first actions of the Order of Conduits not only severely crippled the Separatist war effort in several sectors of the war, but introduced their Order to the galaxy at large. Within two days all had safely returned to Alderaan and began assisting in the construction of the living quarters when they received a message from Lucy Kuo. One of the late-blooming Conduits had exhibited the ability to control metal and was having trouble coordinating his thoughts and actions. Nikaala and Worlbeeys were busy elsewhere with detaining the crazy Dr. Nuvo Vindi, so it would fall to several others to help finish the task.

"We'll help him," Remm, Kilrii and Trionis had said, each knowing the man a little bit. Working their way through the growing city that would be the home of the conduits, the trio found themselves in a small area filled with scrap and junk: the leftovers from some accidents and training sessions. A haughty-looking man was levitating a piece of metal but seemed to be struggling with his power. The harder he seemed to concentrate, the less the metal responded until it simply fell to the ground.

"Who are you?" Remm politely asked as the piece of metal rose and then dropped to the ground once more. The man looked up at them and his posture stiffened.

"I am Lord Wilhund Krakni," he said, giving a slight bow. Royalty: no wonder he was having trouble. He probably thought he should be instantly able to master his power.

"Well, if you are having trouble, just do as we do," Kilrii said. Shifting his stance, he released a flurry of small sonic booms, showing his concentration techniques. Remm and Trionis followed suit, each showing their respective powers and methods. Remm also explained the certain state of mind of a Conduit and how different emotions could interfere with their user's powers.

It would take a while, but eventually Wilhund got the hang of it. He was indeed a strong Conduit, as he easily levitated a large metallic sphere and molded it into the shape of his home world. As they left him, they failed to notice his smile of gratitude become somewhat hungry in nature. Back on his planet, power was the key force in politics. "This is excellent," the man thought, bending a piece of metal to form a scepter. With a slight tap on the metal world, he sent it crumbling in on itself. "With these abilities, my ambitions will no longer be bound by just money and influence. My home world shall fall to me, and then the galaxy will know my power."

His rather evil chuckle was heard only by himself.

Meanwhile, aboard the _Resurrection_...

Cole woke almost the instant his fleet emerged from hyperspace, the fuzziness quickly fading. The inky blackness of space was punctured by the blossoming of fire along a distant ship's bow. The planet below gave a magnificent glow from its star's reflecting rays. The lone moon in the distance hung in the sky, its white surface pocket marked with hundreds of craters. It looked a little similar to Earth, except Earth did not have a skyhook reaching up from the surface of the planet.

"Move us in closer," Cole commanded to his pilots, sitting up. "I want our troop ships to stay back: the forward elements of the fleet move up on our flanks as we approach. The others stay behind and guard out rear: I don't want us to be ambushed as we investigate the situation." Several fleets had been lost during the war when Separatist ships came from behind and pummeled them into slag: Cole did not want that to happen to them. With affirmatives from his pilots and communications officers, the _Resurrection_ and her sister ships, the _Solidarity_ and the _Liberty_ moved towards the battle area. As they flew forwards, debris from destroyed fighters and larger ships bounced off their hulls.

"Shields to front," Cole said, hoping to limit damage to his ships. As they drew closer, a signal emanated from the damaged alien ship. It was rather difficult to decipher, but the clone technicians managed to isolate the frequency from the background radiation. It came through over the loudspeakers installed within the bridge.

"This is the _kkchchh_," the signal said, the name of the ship obscured by static interference. "We seek assistance!" A chunk of the ship in the view screen seemed to fall away from the rest of the vessel, slowly headed towards the planet below: judging from the shape, it was an engine.

"What is your situation?" Cole asked, unready to help an unknown entity unless they informed who they were. It could always be a Separatist trap, and Cole was not about to take any chances with his troops. For every ten rescue missions, nearly one turned out to be a trap of some kind. There was no telling if this was genuinely a damaged ship or a trap waiting for any Republic general foolish enough to try and lend a hand. It was Cole's decision and he knew it could affect, or end, hundreds of lives.

"Our reactors are leaking and the life support systems are failing!" was the response. A plume of fire sprouted forth from the far end of the ship. Cole looked over the scans on his datapad: the person on the alien ship was right. If he didn't do something, then everyone aboard that ship could be doomed to a slow and painful death of either asphyxiation or freezing to death.

"What shall we do, sir?" Shadow asked, hovering near the command console: he had always been more at home in the bridge of a ship than the barracks on a planet. Cole turned to him, his brow furrowed in concentration. Now was not the time for indecision: it was time for action.

"I will lead the rescue party," Cole said, noticing the lack of surprise on his crew's faces: he did stuff like this all the time. "Prepare the gunships." Shadow replaced his helmet and saluted, quickly following his general out of the command bridge. They said nothing as they entered the hangar: there was nothing _to_ say.

Within a minute of prepping his soldiers for an evacuation scenario, Cole was flying out of the hangar and towards the derelict ship, his other gunships flanking his position. "We will meet you in the hangar bay," Cole said over the comms. There was static on the other end for a few seconds until the channels reconnected.

"That won't be possible for all of us," a calm voice said over the speaker: definitely not the same one from before. "There are large obstructions of internal debris between the bridge and the hangar bays. We will require time to remove them; time we do not have." Another plume of fire erupted from the ship's bow, causing several pieces of debris to fly away at high speed.

"Alright, I'll come get you," Cole said. The debris field was absolutely immense: it must have one pitched battle with the client of the Commerce Guild. Cole couldn't even see the other ship this one had engaged: it was likely destroyed. Cole's suspicions were confirmed when a large anti-corvette turret floated past, the metal supposedly holding the gun to the ship torn away as if by a giant. Approaching the ship, he much of the bay doors had been blown off, but at least the anti-vacuum shield still seemed to be working. As the gunships set down in the hangar amidst a clutter of dust and debris, a gaggle of survivors made their way towards the ships. From the looks of things, they were almost human, but not quite.

"Chiss," Cole heard Shadow mutter as the squad from each gunship exited to make room for the refugees after each was patted down for concealed weapons or explosive devices. "Of all the aliens we could meet, I never thought we'd see a Chiss."

"What do you mean?" Cole asked as the pilots took off with the first batch of crewmen. "What are Chiss? They look just like us, except, you know, for the different colored eyes and that deep blue skin tone."

"They aren't seen very much outside of the Unknown Regions, sir," Shadow explained, checking his demolition gear. As an ARC trooper, he had been given a diagnostic on nearly every alien race they could encounter. He had taken up learning more as a hobby and had come across archives on the Chiss several weeks before. "They are either very isolationist or very secretive; likely both. To see one of their ships this far out of its home range is, well, strange to say the least."

Cole had a feeling there was more to this story than what they knew. They were indeed far from home, but for what possible purpose? "Take us to the bridge," Cole said to an uninjured Chiss. With a curt nod from his deep blue face, the unharmed Chiss led them out of the hangar and through a series of dark corridors.

"What happened to this ship?" Cole asked as they stepped over a dead Chiss; technician, from the looks of his blood-splattered clothes.

"We were attacked by what you call 'Separatists' while on a diplomatic mission," the Chiss replied. "Though we destroyed their superior forces, our ship was hit in an exposed fuel line by a bit of errant debris. The resulting explosion crippled our already heavily-damaged ship."

"Talk about tough luck," Shadow said as he maneuvered his way around a sharp piece of metal.

"Why were you attacked?" Cole asked. "Were you a former ally of the Separatists?"

The Chiss snorted, but then coughed as a cloud of dust settled on his face. "Though we know much of your sectors of the galaxy, we prefer to keep to ourselves. We are not involved in your war, despite what some of our superiors would say. As it is, this blatant and unprovoked attack on a diplomatic vessel could lead to a war between your 'Separatists' and the Chiss Ascendancy."

"We could use the help," Cole replied. "As it is, if you don't mind me asking, what was the nature of your diplomatic expedition?"

"I am not at liberty to say: you will have to discuss that with the captain," the Chiss replied, arriving at a large chunk of debris. "This is normally the way to the bridge, but we seem to be at an impasse of sorts."

Cole cocked and eyebrow and turned to Shadow and his men. "Do you boys want to handle this, or should I?" he asked, almost feeling the smirks coming from under their helmets.

"Go for it, general," Shadow replied. Oh boy, were those Chiss going to be shocked by Cole: literally.

Cole turned to the debris and summoned his kinetic pulse. With a push the debris exploded back into the walls, compressing under the massive force it was subjected to. The electricity crackled off the metal as it seemed to melt back into the structure, leaving an open doorway where a wall of refuse had previously stood.

"This way, I suppose?" Cole asked, smirking at the sight of the open-mouthed Chiss.

"Y-Yes, I suppose," was the reply, almost a squeak in pitch. He pressed a series of buttons on a slightly dented console, the letters unfamiliar to Cole. With a beep and a whoosh, the doors slid open.

"I see you had no problem finding your way through the refuse," the calm voice from before said. Looking up, Cole saw it came from another blue-skinned Chiss, his markings signifying him as the captain.

"It wasn't much trouble," Cole replied as he entered the bridge. From the looks of things nobody was in danger of dying, but quite a few of the bridge crew needed medical attention. "You would be?"

"I am Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo," the blue alien replied. "In better times I would welcome you aboard this vessel, but as it is we should depart." The guide quickly strode up to the Captain and whispered something into his ear. The Captain's expression quickly changed from one of calm politeness to shocked awe.

"You wouldn't happen to be General MacGrath, would you?" he said.

"The very same," Cole replied. "I asked your subordinate on the subject of your excursion and was told to ask you. Would you mind telling me why you are here?"

The captain paused for a second, seeming to weigh his options. "We will discuss it on the way out of the ship. I fear we do not have long before the leaking fuel reaches the weapon systems." The remaining bridge officers and personnel filed out in a rather orderly fashion, followed soon after by Cole's men. Cole and Mitth'raw'nuruodo followed behind. "Our mission, of what I can tell you, was of great importance," the Chiss captain replied. "Our first objective was to scout out a planet on which a suitable colony could be formed."

"The second goal?" Cole asked as they ducked under a collapsed support beam.

"We were sent to meet with any available representative government and seek assistance if it was needed. As it were, the Separatists over the planet didn't take too kindly to our plight. Apparently they thought we were a Republic trap."

"Well, I am a representative of the Republic and would gladly broker a treaty," Cole replied as they finally entered the hangar. The gunships soon landed back in to take the last of the surviving crew.

"The third reason was perhaps our most important," Mitth'raw'nuruodo said as he boarded the gunship with Cole. "We heard rumors of you and I was personally sent as a representative to meet with you."

"Why was that?" Shadow asked as the gunship left the hangar.

"That is classified information, I am afraid," the Chiss captain replied. "As part of the agreement, I will fight for you as part of my way of repaying a debt. In the future, my superiors would like to speak with you."

"Welcome aboard, Mitrew-something," Cole replied, somewhat embarrassed he messed up the captain's name.

"Please, call me by my nickname: 'Thrawn', at your service," the Chiss captain replied, offering his hand.

Cole shook it as the gunships landed in the _Resurrection_'s hangar. "Welcome aboard, Thrawn."


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**A/N: Well, I must say I'm awed by the 15,000 hits this story has gotten so far. Here we see a few other characters not seen in the movies that happen to be personal favorites of mine. I don't own Infamous or Star Wars, and now we begin the final arc of this story.**

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine bid a group of senators farewell and turned his seat to face the wide window facing the skyline of Coruscant, finally alone at last. In his mind the cogs were turning; the war was not going as he had foreseen or planned. That blasted Cole MacGrath had already destroyed countless Separatist forces and captured Dooku and possibly Grievous, as no one had heard from him in ages. Dooku's padawan Asajj Ventress had created the monster Savage Opress and was still not capable of leading the war effort. Worse still, his own apprentice had spilled the collective beans and was held under impenetrable security. Even someone as mastered as himself in the skills of politics and manipulation was having a very difficult time keeping the war together.

The Dark Side flowed around him, beckoning him to look into the future. What he saw was always the same: the Republic falling to an Empire and the Sith rising once more. Then, in the not-too distant future, the strong military would repulse the invasion of the galaxy by legions of Force-less aliens, saving the galaxy from genocide unimaginable in scope and efficiency.

All his plans hinged on Order 66, but the Separatist Council still stood in his way. How would he eliminate them without suspicion if he had no new apprentice to replace Dooku? He could not afford to have them be captured and possibly incriminate him or lead the Republic to an investigation: he had too many skeletons in his closet, so to speak. None of the Jedi were even remotely planning to kill the Separatist leaders, including one Dark Side hopeful who was no longer such a hopeful convert. Once again that blasted MacGrath had done something to put Anakin Skywalker on the true Jedi path. Whatever he had done eliminated the darkness in his soul and Palpatine's influence was brushed aside: the Jedi barely even met with the chancellor anymore and he brushed off the compliments and praises as if they were nothing.

He could still profit from all these setbacks; he only needed a way to separate the Jedi from the Conduits and turn the public against them. He would need to call a senate meeting soon enough and request extensions on his term and powers. The Jedi and their troops were almost in place for his executive order: all he needed now was for his lackeys on Coruscant to do their jobs.

"Those Jedi fools have no idea what I will do," he thought. "Now if only I could turn MacGrath to my side." The Conduit, if he had a connection to the Dark Side, would have made a very powerful Sith, possibly more so than any before him. As it was, Palpatine knew Cole would never forsake his friends or his troops for the One Plan: somehow, through his life, he had been permanently warped to Light Side of the Force. The only other thing nagging the back of his mind was his own growing frailty. To have such power in the Force and keep it under check at all times was taking its toll on his cells. It would take months for his clones to be ready, and if something happened before then, he would go the way of Plagueis and cease to be. He could not let that happen. His own death would set a series of events in motion that would likely lead to the destruction of the galaxy.

Meanwhile, in the Jedi Temple...

Cole and Anakin Skywalker stood before the Jedi Council, both unsure of why they had been summoned. Cole had sent Thrawn with his fleet and had instated him as a captain, though it seemed the Chiss would rise rapidly through the ranks.

"We have deliberated and discussed this for a long time," Mace Windu said. "It has finally come to the point where we agree on what to do."

"What is that, masters?" Anakin asked.

"Granted a seat on the council, you will be," Yoda said. "The rank of Jedi Master, though, you have not yet earned."

Anakin's jaw dropped in disbelief: he had been granted a sat on the council? When he asked them as to why, they gave answers that most certainly did not satisfy his questions. As he and Cole left the room after being dismissed, he couldn't even say anything else. The shock had not worn off when they reached a landing pad outside the temple.

"Don't worry," Cole finally said, patting him on the back. "I'm sure they'll make you a Master in no time."

Anakin looked up at him, annoyance and doubt etching his features. "I am the youngest Jedi ever to be on the Council. But why won't they grant me the title of Master? Have I not done enough for the war? Have I not sacrificed enough?" With that, he held up his mechanical arm, his first casualty of the war: his facial scars were plainly evident as well.

Cole shrugged his shoulders: he didn't want Anakin to know what Kessler had done to his own body of his own choice. "Don't sweat it, Anakin; I'm sure they have good enough reasons. You've sacrificed plenty to have gotten this far, and frankly I'm surprised people don't want you as a future chancellor. Just remember these words: good things come to those who wait. I had to wait a very, _very_ long time to have the powers I do, and I can't even begin to describe some of the hardships I've gone through. But know this: looking back on what I've accomplished, it was all worth it. Someday, probably not far off, you too will become a Jedi Master: I know it."

Anakin smiled at his words and bid Cole a fond farewell. Cole knew he was going to see Padme, but the reason for the visit was unknown. He knew the Jedi liked her, but the extent of their feelings was still a bit of a mystery to him. Then again, it wasn't his place to interfere or snoop on their private life, so he would leave them alone for the time being. As Anakin's fighter sped off into the Coruscant skyline, Cole simply flew up into the air and started his way to a nearby Republic commando base. He had been summoned there by Yoda as part of training with a pair of commando squads: something about "city maneuvers and tactical assault".

"I wonder why?" Cole thought as the air gently rushed past him. He was so focused on flying he failed to notice a speeder fly out from behind a building and follow him through the air. Cole absentmindedly looked behind him and to his shock saw a rocket launcher pointing straight at him from the passenger window. With a burst of fire the rocket exited the shuttle's open window and made a beeline straight for him. Cole quickly flipped over and shot straight towards the ground, with the rocket trailing right behind him.

Thinking quickly, Cole slowed his descent and flipped backwards, planting his feet on the missile's body. Soon enough the tracking device in the rocket lost contact with him and started to fly around erratically. Luckily for Cole the shuttle had been following him. With a shock to his hand, he lassoed the rocket with a lightning hook and steered it at the enemy shuttle. With a spinning throw he jumped off and launched the rocket into the shuttle's cockpit. The resulting explosion obliterated the shuttle and the enemy occupants within; the debris fell to the distant ground.

"Suckers," Cole thought as he flew off. Unbeknownst to him another shuttle had been watching the entire time. With a zooming motion it flew out of its hiding space and headed off for parts unknown.

Within a few minutes of passing stunned speeder drivers and dodging traffic control droids alike, Cole found himself floating above a non-descript barracks, appearing to be the same as many others scattered throughout the planet. Cole, on the other hand, knew better: this was the location of some of the galaxy's finest clone commandos. Landing in front of the building, Cole walked through the doors to see four clones exiting a pair of doors dressed in full armor. An older man walked out behind them, but from the look of his build he was a long way from retirement.

"You must be General MacGrath," he said, walking forward and shaking Cole's hand. "The name's Kal Skirata, and this here is Omega Squad." He gestured at the four troopers standing there, each with a unique signature on their armor. Even with their enhanced and newly upgraded armor, they still stood out from the regular clone troopers: bigger, stronger looking, and from what the files said, more intelligent.

"This here is Fi, Atin, Niner and Darman," Skirata said, indicating each commando with a nod. In response each trooper nodded or gestured in some way.

"Pleased to meet you all," Cole said. "I was called here for a mission, but I still have not found out where or why." The Jedi had been mysteriously quiet as to what his mission would be about, so Cole naturally believed they either didn't know a thing or were hiding something from him.

"Ah, that remains... complicated," Skirata said, rubbing the back of his neck with a gloved hand. "I'm not at liberty to say, as I'm not technically a member of the Republic military. My boys here will fill you in on the way to the mission." The sound of a gunship landing outside the building greeted Cole's ears: the soft rumble could be felt by everyone, even through all that heavy armor.

"I hope they have _my_ stealth armor," he thought with a hint of exasperation. They stuck out like sore thumbs and any fights would be rather sudden if they couldn't at least sneak up on the enemy.

A short while later, above the lights of Coruscant's southern pole buildings...

"There's a large group of terrorists gathering for a major strike on the Senate," one of the clones said, indicating a large building to the south of their position: Darman, from the color of his armor. Cole stood on the edge of the building, the wind barely affecting his composure.

"So how are you boys going to get down from here?" Cole asked, turning around. He saw each commando suiting up with a zip line. "Of course," he chuckled.

"See you guys at the bottom," he said, turning back to the building's edge. With a few steps he jumped off the side and fell towards the large duracrete slab marking the terrorists' roof, the wind rushing past his ears. Within seconds he slowed himself down with his flying and gently landed on the roof, touvhing down with nary a sound. Sitting down, he waited for the rappelling clones to catch up; eventually, they did.

The four commandos readied their weapons for the firefight that would surely commence. "See you guys inside," Cole said, activating his armor's cloaking ability. He watched his arms as they disappeared before his very eyes, the shimmer of light fading as he became as clear as glass. Running over to the edge of the building, Cole dropped down on several sets of crates before running up to an outside door.

A gruff-looking man opened the door and lit up what looked to be a cigarette; Cole crept up to his and blasted him in the back of the head. Catching the falling body, Cole dragged it out of sight behind a crate. Creeping up to the open door, Cole walked in and made his way through the warehouse.

An explosion lit up the other side of the warehouse: the commandos had begun the assault. Cole quickly ran through the building, frying or smashing everyone in his way. Jumping into the air, Cole landed on the back of a firing terrorist, knocking him out. The commandos were making their way to the center of the building, blasting every person in their way. Cole sent a lightning grenade onto the back of a terrorist with a large weapons pack. The explosion sent him flying into a wall, where he landed with a sickening crunch. Another two tried to swing their blasters at Cole: a graviton blast sent them high into the air, where they impacted the ceiling and eventually fell back to the floor. Within a minute of fighting all of the terrorists were either dead or incapacitated, with the survivors rounded up and detained by the commandos.

"Good work," Cole said as they scoured the area for information. Off near the back of the warehouse Darman was investigating a datapad. Holding it up to his helmet, his body tensed as he read the information on the screen.

"General, you may want to see this," he called out. Cole rushed over to find Darman holding a pair of datapads. "This is the list of benefactors channeling funds and supplies to this group; check out who's on top of the list." Luckily his helmet was on, or else the commando would have appeared very worried by this information.

Cole looked over the list, seeing the names of Separatists, high-end criminals and politically motivated wealthy people. He scrolled up to see a set of names he had not expected: the aides of Palpatine. Even worse, there were several personal messages detailing his involvement, signed in his own handwriting and orders on how to proceed with several plans. Of all the things he could have done, this was one of the worst: sponsoring terrorism against his own government was an act of high treason. He must have been doing things like this from day one, in order to keep his poll numbers at such a high percentage. Only this time he had finally slipped up and not gone through some third party affiliate. The calm Cole had felt after the battle vanished in an instant: it was replaced by something else entirely.

Rage.

"What should we do, sir?" Darman asked, slightly unnerved by the look on Cole's face. "It is regulation to hand over all records and enemy intel to our superior officers." He had seen fierce combat in nearly every corner of the galaxy, and this was the first thing he had seen that was truly frightening.

Cole looked up at him. "Nobody else will know we have this; as your commanding officer, bring me everything and return to your posts. Do not say a word of this to anyone: my life, your lives and the lives of countless others hang in the balance." Darman nodded as Cole walked over to a dead terrorist holding a rocket launcher, wondering if he had any other incriminating evidence on the chancellor. As he drew closer, the seemingly dead man sat up and aimed the missile at Darman. Before Cole could shoot the rocket went off, heading straight for the clone commando.

Cole had only seconds to act; he leaped in front of the missile. Upon contact the warhead exploded, sending Cole careening into the far wall of the warehouse. Slowly getting back up, Cole saw through the haze of pain the four commandos were standing around him, their body posture suggesting concern.

"No way," Niner said as Cole got back up, the open wounds in his chest closing rapidly.

"Never mind that," Cole said, waving off a medkit. "I'll be fine; just make sure you destroy anything of value to the enemy." With that he left the warehouse with the datapads Darman had given him. He didn't wait for the commandos to clear up the place as gunships arrived to carry off the evidence; there were more important things for him to do.

Back at the Jedi Temple...

The Jedi Council sat in silence, unsure of what to do. Cole's information was delicate in nature; they would need more concrete proof to depose the chancellor. However, the most damning piece of evidence was the transmission log between his office and the known bases of the Separatist leaders. If they could prove he was in the room when the transmissions were sent and received, his whole defense would crumble under the scrutiny.

"What will we do?" Cole finally asked when he could contain his curiosity no further. Mace Windu looked up from his concentration.

"If he does not step down when the war is over, he will be removed from office. The recent increases in his term length and power are clear examples of him overstepping the bounds of his authority. We will need to expose this truth to the senate in order to gain their trust; the most influential leaders will need to be notified."

"Such as senators Amidala, Organa, Iblis and Mothma?" Cole suggested.

"Exactly; we can trust them to be discreet," Kenobi answered, his hologram flickering for a second. "What will be most important is how many more we can turn away from the control of Palpatine. His influence is far and wide, as are his accomplices and agents. He has been in politics for a very long time: turning a majority of the senate against him will be a great challenge."

"This talk is treasonous," Kit Fisto replied. "But it must be done, as time is growing short to bring such charges against him. Our spies inform us that the war will likely be over soon."

"How so?" Cole asked.

"The Separatist Council; found, they have been," Yoda said, speaking up for the first time. "Assault their base, Kenobi and Skywalker will."

Obi-wan nodded. "Our forces are in position; with their capture, the Separatists will have no choice but to surrender."

"I will confront the chancellor with a team of Jedi," Windu said. "I suggest you come along, Cole, as a representative of your Conduit Order. It must appear that others beside the Jedi and a few senators oppose his rule, or he will turn everyone else against us."

"Yes Master Windu," Cole said, taking his leave from the council room. As he walked away, his comm chimed; it was Kuo.

"Kuo?" Cole asked. "Why are you on Coruscant? How did you even get this number? It's supposed to be classified."

"I have friends within the Conduit Order who know more about you than you realize. Never mind that: I need to tell you something in person," she said, seeming to be off in her own little world. "Where are you now?"

"I'll be on my way to the senate building shortly," Cole said. He didn't need to tell her his reason; it was still on a need-to-know basis. If word got out, and Palpatine got wind of it, he could mount a counter-attack politically and militarily, perhaps even ordering the arrests of the Jedi and Cole for treasonous actions.

"Excellent: I'll meet you there," Kuo said.

"No, Kuo, don't-," Cole said as she ended the transmission. "-meet me there," he finished, trying to call her again. Her comm wouldn't patch through; she was likely travelling through an area of high interference.

"Dammit," Cole thought as he pocketed the device. "Things had better stay civil in there."


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**A/N: Well, this is my longest chapter for this story, and I must say the ramifications are truly astounding. Only a few more to go before the saga is changed and the Republic will experience an event unlike anything it has seen before. Time for MacGrath to shine once more! 16,000 hits? Wow!**

J'on Sladezer had returned to Alderaan to finish his home, the building materials he had personally bought easy enough for someone of his stature to wield. The Jawa had recently picked up the slave he had lived with for the longest time, freeing her from her corrupt masters back on the planet of Tatooine. Sure, there had been a trail of bodies all across the compound they called home, but the bonus of freeing her was that Jabba the Hutt himself had paid him handsomely for getting rid of the upstart competition. As luck would have it, he met an interesting person while walking through the newly-finished headquarters.

"Well Krakni," he said, sitting in a chair opposite from the human, his feet dangling in the air. "I must say your proposal is very interesting, but what's in it for me?" The Jawa almost never did anyone a favor unless there was something in it for him, whether it was credits, a debt or even subservience. There were only two in the galaxy he would do things for out of the kindness of his heart or out of a sense of loyalty: his sweetheart, a pink-skinned Twi'lek or Cole MacGrath, the man who had earned his undying respect. Or children: he had a soft spot for children.

The human clasped his hands behind his back. "In exchange for this partnership, I will finance your endeavors and assist you in anything you require. All I ask is that you help me ascend to the throne of my planet. It was wrongly taken from me by my older cousin and I am determined to have it back under my father's name." It made no sense telling the Jawa the whole truth, about how he had been expelled from the family after making several moves for the thrown when he was younger. Hardness had settled in his heart after years of exile, and he fully intended to make the planet his: the prodigal son's return, indeed.

"Well, aren't we an ambitious little hawk-bat?" J'on chuckled, forming a steeple with his diminutive hands: his yellow eyes shone out from under the darkness of his hood. "Overthrowing your planet's king, your own cousin, just to become its ruler? I love it: consider it a deal." With that, they shook hands and departed.

Krakni waited until the Jawa left before calling in another cohort, a Pau'an.

"Another has joined our group," he said. "How many does that make, Koza?"

The shining Pau'an smiled in an unpleasant way. "Around four so far, including you and me. I have the utmost confidence we can continue to grow as more Conduits join the Order."

"We will be the leaders of a glorious new age," Krakni said, smiling. "We will bide our time for now, but it _will_ happen."

Meanwhile, over the planet of Mustafar...

Anakin and Obi-wan stood aboard their ship, looking down on the volcanic planet below. The asteroids were obscuring the fleet surrounding the planet, but soon enough the Republic would win the final blow. All around the galaxy droid forces were on the run, often being destroyed in numbers they could not replace.

"We move on my command," Obi-wan said. Anakin nodded and dismissed himself, making his way to the hangar.

"Alright boys, mount up!" he called to his clone pilots. With shouts from throughout the hangar echoing his sentiment, the troops boarded their fighters and prepared for battle.

Obi-wan's voice broadcasted over the loudspeakers; "All forces, commence the attack". With a shuddering movement the ship lurched forward and out of the asteroid field. With the attack underway Anakin launched his fighter, closely followed by dozens more. The battle for Mustafar had begun.

Meanwhile, on the planet's surface...

Wat Tambor and Nute Gunray were nearly at each other's throats. "I'm telling you, we need to evacuate!" the Neimoidian cried, wringing his hands together. "We'll be captured for sure!"

The Skakoan rumbled in his suit. "I have a personal guarantee a large fleet is on its way to relieve us," he said, fiddling with the knobs on his chest plate.

"We have no large fleets left!" Gunray shouted. Poggle the Lesser and his minion Gizor Delso were conversing by themselves.

"We should wait for the fleet," the warbling alien said. Several others called out in agreement.

"Nobody asked you, you overgrown bug!" shouted Gunray, losing his nerve all together.

"Silence you giant frog!" the Geonosian replied, infuriated at the insult. Everyone started to rise, threatening the others and calling out insults.

San Hill stood up, trying to calm everyone down. "Gentlemen, we must have faith. If the fleet does not arrive soon, we will evacuate." There was a grumbling amongst the others, but everyone seemed to calm down. At least until an explosion rocked the outside landing pad, followed closely by the sounds of blaster bolts striking the building.

"And there goes the shuttle," Rune Haako muttered. The Separatist Council all looked up at one another: there could be no retreat. The war was lost for them.

Meanwhile, on another side of the planet...

Asajj Ventress and Savage Oppress had been chafing under the thumb of the Separatists for too long. The recent massacre of a large portion of Dathomir's people under Nute Gunray and San Hill had pushed them over the edge.

"This is no longer our war," Asajj said as she and her companion entered a stealth fighter. "From now on, we fight for ourselves."

"Agreed," the towering Nightbrother said. "What will we do?"

"The galaxy is a large place," she replied, closing the hatch behind her. "There is always work available to people of our talents."

"Well, at least life won't get boring," Savage said, smirking as the ship rose into the atmosphere. The southern hemisphere's atmosphere was seeing the least amount of fighting, so they easily made it past the battling fleets.

"Here we go," Asajj said. With the activation of the hyperdrive, the two Dark-siders left behind the Separatist cause and disappeared into the galaxy.

Meanwhile, in the space above Mustafar...

Anakin blasted a trio of droid starfighters bent on aiming for the bridge of his ship. The resulting explosions peppered the skies with shrapnel and metal scrap. "The droid forces are nearly destroyed," he spoke into his comm. "Time to take the planet." A hail of chatter erupted over his comms, including the orders for orbital bombardment and assaulting the base. Back on the leading ship, Kenobi arrived in the hangar.

"Here we go," Kenobi said as he entered the lead gunship. With a rumble it took off, followed by dozens more. In the space all around Mustafar hundreds of gunships launched into space, headed for the planet below.

This would be it; the final major battle of the Clone Wars.

Back inside the Separatist stronghold...

"There is no hope for you," the hologram of Lord Sidious spoke to the gathered council. "I will do everything in my power to see you are not executed. We can always try again."

"There won't be a next time!" Gunray exclaimed as the hologram winked out. "We are doomed!"

"Activate the defenses," Gizor Delso warbled into his comm. Throughout the building a rumble of machinery signaled the final stand of the Separatists. Droid upon droid emerged from the base, taking up defensive positions behind the walls. From hidden hatches emerged artillery, anti-aircraft guns and hundreds of automated turrets. Off in the distance a massive force of clones, armor and gunships were approaching from all sides. There would be no escape for the Separatist leaders.

The opening salvo from the Republic artillery splashed boiling magma all over the defenses. Droids melted where they stood, the circuitry frying from the heat. The artillery guarding the base opened fire in return. Kenobi and Skywalker led the advance, with dozens of gunships flying low for support. "Take out those cannons," Kenobi called into his comm, signaling the three closest ships in orbit.

Up in the lead ship, a Chiss responded. "Yes, sir," replied Thrawn. Soon enough bolts of lightning and blaster cannon fire rained down from the ash-choked skies. Explosions rocked the stronghold as artillery and anti-air guns were blasted into nothingness.

"Advance!" shouted Anakin, raising his lightsaber. All around him a great cheer rose from his troops like thunder. They all rushed forward, blasting at the base with relentless precision. Gunships flew overhead, blasting more droids into nothingness. The fighting became close-quartered and fierce, often with pockets of droids being further splintered until they were eliminated. Soon enough the clones drew their Amps and slashed through the droids, cutting them apart piece by piece. Explosions rocked the fortress as the artillery pounded entrances open, revealing the interior of the enemy base. Inside the council room, the leaders could only watch in horror as the cameras viewing the outside of the base went offline.

"Republic troops have entered the base," a droid voice emanated from the loudspeakers. "Republic troops have-," the transmission was cut off. A pair of bright blue lights pierced the final door between the Separatists and the outside world. With a spinning motion the two beams cut a circle through the door. The metal fell over and revealed generals Skywalker and Kenobi backed up by an absolutely crammed hallway of clones. The other doors surrounding the room opened, revealing more and more clones. Dozens of blasters, both normal and electric, rose at the sight of the Separatist leaders, each leader aimed at by at least eight rifles. Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped forward, their lightsabers pointing at the council. "Do you surrender?" they said in unison.

The Separatist Council slowly raised their hands. "We surrender," San Hill said. The war was over.

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant...

Cole was seated inside Padme's meeting room, facing not only the Naboo senator but Mon Mothma, Garm Bel Iblis and Bail Organa. "So we are in consensus, then?" Cole asked. The Chandrillan and Corellian senators looked at each other, each aware of the stakes.

"You and the Jedi will have our support," Garm said. "We have long feared the reach of Palpatine, but this evidence only confirms it."

"Alderaan and her allies will side with you as well," Bail Organa added. "We also have found an unusual ally with Duchess Satine of the Mandalorians and their allies as well."

Cole turned to Padme. "What about Naboo?" he asked, clasping his hands in his lap.

"The people of Naboo never really supported Palpatine, even though he is from our world," she said. "Ever since his rise in politics and the turmoil following whim wherever he went, the people have never been his biggest supporters. This new evidence has convinced me he intends ill for freedom and democracy across the galaxy. The Rodians, Wookiees and Pantorans have our backs along with countless other species, though the Mon Calamari and Quarren will take a bit more convincing: they still have a bit of a mess to clean up on their own planet."

"That still leaves us with a large and vocal minority," Cole said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Will others ally with us?"

Mon Mothma nodded her head. "We can convince some, but the evidence will have to be much more concrete. If we could find evidence of him doing something more than sponsoring terrorism, then more would see the fallacies of his promises and turn on him."

A beep emanated from Cole's comlink. "Excuse me; I need to take this," he said. Activating it, he saw the image of Master Windu appear.

"The Separatist leaders have been captured," he said, sending a shock throughout the entire room. "They are already confessing it was Lord Sidious who arranged the whole war with promises of power and wealth."

"Maybe Palpatine can tell us who Sidious might be," Cole said. "Grievous did say he say the Sith Lord was high in the Senate's power base: perhaps they have been in contact with each other."

"We will ask him that when we arrive to force his resignation from power," Windu said. "Meet us there within the hour. We have already informed the Senate of what has happened; we will confront him in the central chamber with your clone legion."

As he left, Cole felt a sense of unease. The Jedi had been strung throughout the galaxy, dwindling both in number and in forces when they were called to another front. Palpatine had been a vocal supporter of their involvement in leading the troops, but exactly why had never been clear. Now, on the eve of the war, the thing bothering him the most was not what the enemy could have done, but what his allies could be about to do. He had never trusted Palpatine and the news in the warehouse had only confirmed his suspicions. Now he realized the clones were loyal to both the Republic and the chancellor, and if one fell the other would still survive. Palpatine was in no discernible danger, but the Republic had come close to collapse: too close. The only ones capable of removing a power-hungry man from the position of chancellorship were the Jedi, as Cole's Order was far too small and held very little influence.

Cole pulled out his comlink and connected it to every available Jedi in the galaxy, his message clear. In his time amongst the clones he had learned every available order they could act upon, but one stood out as something horrible: sixty-six. There was no way Palpatine would let the Jedi remove him from office. The only way to stop them would be to remove them from his plans entirely, but what those plans were was entirely unclear. His plan hinged upon the delivery of his message throughout the galaxy before this possible order could be enacted. So his comlink was linked to every Jedi and clone commander in the galaxy. He knew the command would be considered treasonous if his suspicions were proven false, but in the one time he met the chancellor, his radar pulse had not shown him to be a true ally: he had been a sort of bluish red, as if the real color of his allegiance was hidden underneath. All across every front his own message was broadcast, reaching the ears of every military personnel. In all of the most life-changing words the galaxy had ever known, the three he spoke were perhaps the most influential of all time.

"Execute Order Sixty-Five." He listened to a quick flurry of affirmatives and acknowledgements of the order, then shut it off with a finality unseen by all but himself. The galaxy had changed in that instant in a way nobody could have possibly foreseen.

Meanwhile, in Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's office...

Lord Sidious, AKA Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic, was not happy. The Jedi were not extinguished and he sensed his power would soon be stripped away. The grumblings of the Jedi and certain senators against his term extensions and power increases were evidence enough they would soon make a move against him. That Cole MacGrath would likely lead the overthrow: he had never liked the chancellor and the feeling had been mutual almost from the beginning. Centuries of planning and preparation by the Sith and decades of his life spent bring The Plan to fruition, undone by a human light socket; the Force was surely laughing at him.

"I will not let it end this way," he muttered. His master Plagueis and countless Sith before him had not engineered the galaxy to arrive at this moment to trip at the finish line. Opening his comlink and dialing a number very few people outside of the Republic Army had access to, he soon saw the image of Commander Cody on the planet Mustafar, the ash behind him obscuring the fallen stronghold of the Separatist leaders. He would be sure to destroy that building completely after his order was carried out: he had no need to be reminded of a failure so great it changed the galaxy.

"Commander, it is time; execute order-," he was cut off by a curt reply.

"No, chancellor; I no longer take any orders from you," the clone said. Palpatine didn't respond for a second, so great was his shock and confusion. Did a clone just..._disobey him_? They were the epitome of loyalty and obedience, and yet this one had refused, no, _interrupted_ a direct order?

Palpatine's fury rose like a wave: he should crush the throat of that insignificant clone! "What do you mean? I am the supreme chancellor of the Republic. I am the head of the entire Republic military! I _command_ you to execute Order 66!" There, that should get that clone back on track, or Palpatine would be certain to execute that clone's whole regiment as a show of force.

"We recently received our new order: executive order sixty-five," the clone responded, causing a chill to run up Palpatine's spine. "As our order dictates, you are to be removed from office and imprisoned for crimes against the Republic, awaiting a trial and likely execution." With that the call ended, causing the room to fall silent.

The supreme chancellor just sat there for a minute, no knowing how to respond. His entire plan had just been destroyed with one call to one insignificant clone. Suddenly, and in a great fury, Palpatine threw his comlink against the wall, shattering it to pieces. He jumped up and began pacing; his mind a flurry of thoughts and confused aggression. How could this have possibly happened? How did that clone receive that order? Was it like this all across the galaxy? Only a few even knew of its existence and only a general deeply committed to his troops could have known that particular phrase...

Palpatine stood straight up, the shock nearly causing him to explode with rage. It was MacGrath! Only he, the most knowledgeable and connected to his troops would have learned of that order! Only he, of all the people the chancellor had met, had never truly trusted him or been completely blind to his machinations! By the Force, Lord Sidious had been outplayed in a move not even the most gifted Force-user could have foreseen!

Mas Amedda had entered the room timidly at the sound of the smashing comlink. "Are you all right, sir?" he asked. His master's temper tantrums were few and far between, but when they did happen he always felt he would be the first to be on the receiving end of that wrath.

Palpatine rounded on his assistant, his anger threatening to override his barely-retained control. "Call a session in the Senate; I have been betrayed and I will see the traitors suffer!" With a weak reply the Twi'lek bowed out of the room and contacted everyone on his comm channel. The Senate was already coming together, but this summoning was sure to ignite a firestorm of controversy.

Meanwhile, back in the bowels of the Jedi Temple...

Cole had been contacted by Shaak Ti about something Grievous mentioned and had made an unscheduled stop in the basement, carefully slipping by any and all personnel between him and the duo. As he walked up, he noticed a slight alteration to the room: something akin to an operating table sat in the middle.

"Ah, General MacGrath," Grievous said, coughing a bit. "I was wondering when I would see you again."

"What is it you want?" Cole asked, not sure why the cyborg even wanted to see him. The war was pretty much over and there was no more use for Grievous in the military sense. He would likely be eventually executed for his crimes: many had the means to make it happen and many more wanted to see him gone.

"I heard of your rescue of Skywalker's mother and her subsequent recovery," Grievous said. "I wish to know if you could find it in your heart to try and do the same for me." Even for a killer cyborg, he looked rather pitiful in his current state.

Cole felt his anger at the mechanical monstrosity falter. He was asking to be healed? "Why do you wish for this?" Cole asked. "When undamaged you are a most formidable opponent to anyone. Your prowess, though infamous, is legendary." Ha: infamous. Now there was a word he hadn't heard in a long, long time.

Grievous let out a laugh, sounding horrid through his mechanical mask. "And what has that prowess brought me? Nothing but pain and suffering; I am feared throughout the galaxy by those I have never met and the stigma of being evil is one I find insulting. I was a warrior from birth so that I may defend my world, from enemies both within and out." He let out another cough, more violently this time. "I was destroyed so that I could be rebuilt in the image of a Sith puppet. I lost everything I ever cared for and no amount of military prowess can make up for what I no longer have. So I ask you again: will you help me?" He lay back on the table, his organs pulsing within his synthetic organ sack.

"I will do what I can," Cole said after a few moments of silence. "But first I will need to remove most of your armor: my powers cannot fuse flesh and steel, and I believe if they did it would be most painful indeed."

"Then take it away," Grievous said, closing his eyes and looking away. Cole and Shaak Ti began to remove the metal plates from his chest, further exposing the frail organs underneath. With a set of tools Shaak Ti removed the damaged wiring from his empty arm sockets, leaving the cyborg completely armless.

"Shaak Ti," Grievous whispered. "Please remove my mask." He actually opened his eyes to look into hers, and she could see he truly wanted this. Gingerly the Jedi master removed the feared mask, revealing something unexpected. A pale, mottled face peered out from under the metal, the yellow reptilian eyes holding the only remaining spark of life.

"Here goes nothing," Cole said, pumping several volts into his hands. With slow and deliberate motions he moved his hands over the organs of the former general. As if by magic the skin on the face of Grievous began to grow and regain color. Bones began to reform around the organs from the remaining chips, the ribs poking into sight as the fragments stretched and grew. Soon muscle and tendons began growing over the exposed internal aspects of the cyborg's anatomy, with skin soon growing after. The problem lay with his arms and legs. No matter how much energy Cole put into those areas, flesh and bone refused to reappear: it would seem there was no remnant for his to heal. The part of his back not exposed to the air continued to heal, but the metal serving as a support for his spine seemed to fuse with the bone.

Cole stopped and looked down on his handiwork. Where the general had been only twenty percent living tissue, there was now a torso, neck and head, all encompassed by a framework of metal. Grievous opened his eyes and for the first time he could remember, his mouth. He gasped as the air rushed through an intact trachea and entered his healed lungs, resulting in no coughing like before.

"My arms," he muttered, sitting up and looking and the metallic stumps. "They could not be remade, I suppose?"

"I'm not a miracle worker," Cole said. "If there is no remnant, my powers don't seem to work."

"It is for the best, I suppose," Grievous said. He looked down at his legs and sighed. "At least I have more of me than before." With an unsteady drop he stood up and breathed in deeply. "Thank you, MacGrath, for giving back as much of me as you could," Grievous said, the gratefulness seeping into every word he uttered.

"It was nothing," Cole replied, gingerly patting the cyborg on the shoulder: he didn't know what else to do in the situation. "Shaak Ti, could you look after him for me? I have somewhere else to go," Cole said.

"I would be glad to," she replied. With that Cole left the room and headed outside, jumping and flying off towards the senate building.


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

**A/N: Here it is. The conclusion of an epic and the beginning of something new. Stay tuned for one final update.**

There was little time for a coherent and detailed communique between himself and the man in question, so Chancellor Palpatine had to make this one, possibly last message count. "They are making a move against me," he said to the hooded man. "I have lost the authority of chancellor and there is no way for me to execute Order 66: the Plan has fallen apart for the time being. If I do not survive this turn of events, I have your word you will continue where I left off?"

"Of course, my master," the hooded man replied, walking beside him through the shadowed corridor. "What of your other subordinates? All of your contacts and the companies held in your name?"

"They will follow through on the Plan as well, given enough time. The funds and accounts will pass to you to continue the work needed for the Plan," Palpatine said, rubbing a slightly wrinkled hand over a statue, the sensor in it caused a hidden door to open. It was a secret tunnel system and secure door that led to the Senate chambers: only chancellors and their closest advisors even knew it existed. There was no way he would take the public entrance: too many possible places for an ambush. "You must be careful: they will undoubtedly be looking for anyone with connections to me. The Plan must come to fruition when the galaxy has been at peace for some time and everyone is relaxed and off their guard."

"What of the others?" the hooded man said, following the chancellor to the edge of the door frame.

"What others?" Palpatine asked, a bit puzzled over the man's words.

"The other alien empires out in the galaxy: the Chiss, Ssi-Ruu, Hutts and Killiks. Should we focus on them as well?"

"No; for the time being, focus everything on building the Sith to a glorious new height and bringing the Republic to its knees. I see now my thoughts on my master are the same for me: he was not immune to the Rule of Two, and even with your help, it seems I will follow in his footsteps." He turned around and pressed several buttons. "Make yourself scarce and remember: hiding in the shadows is the way of our kind. We will rule this galaxy, even if it takes another thousand years. Remember, my most loyal apprentice: shadows." With that, the door closed between the two, cutting off their line of sight and conversation with a strange finality. For a few seconds the man just stood there, alone in his thoughts.

"At your will, my master," the man finally said to himself, placing his arm across his chest and bowing before the door. With a quick turn amidst his swirling cloak, he walked down the corridor, eventually disappearing into another secret tunnel and heading off for parts unknown.

Meanwhile, in the Senate building high above the corridors...

Cole stood in the senatorial pod belonging to Padme, currently sitting down in her ceremonial dress. All around them senators from thousands of planets were waiting for Palpatine to arrive and speak. There was a buzz in the air: many knew why they had been called, but many more did not. As an added precaution, Mace Windu and several other Jedi were waiting in scattered pods, awaiting the soon-to-be former chancellor's appearance.

"How will we arrest him?" Padme asked, turning to Cole. She kept rubbing her hands over her swollen stomach, indicating her child would arrive within weeks.

"I have the 21st Legion stationed around the entire senate building, waiting for my signal," Cole said, noticing the furtive glances as numerous senators received the news of Palpatine's betrayals. "If there is a fight, you and our allies will need to leave immediately."

A rumble from the bottom of the hall indicated the arrival of Palpatine. With a whooshing noise his pod rose into the air and he began to speak.

"Senators, we are in the midst of a great tragedy. I have recently learned of a plot to destroy the Republic with our own clone troopers. We have been betrayed by the Jedi and the Conduits. We-," his speech was drowned out by roars of rage and indignation.

"You lie!" shouted a senator. "We know you were in contact with the Separatists throughout the war and even before! We know about your terrorist connections!"

Palpatine seemed to be stunned into silence. "But I assure you, these baseless-," his rebuttal was once again drowned out.

"You are hereby removed from office, Palpatine," Mace Windu shouted midst a roar of cheering as the pods carrying Jedi floated outwards. All around the atrium clone troopers entered pods and pointed their rifles up at Palpatine. Cole let himself fly up to the pod, his features furious and righteously so.

"You are under arrest, Palpatine," he said. As if in a dream the former chancellor turned to him, his features pale and his face twisted into a mask of hate.

"You did this," he whispered in a deadly manner. "YOU DID THIS!" he shouted, sending forth lightning from his fingertips at Cole. The atrium burst into a collective gasp.

"Palpatine is the Sith Lord Sidious!" Cole shouted, ignoring the futile bolts pumping into him. The senate erupted in a thunder of shouts; some even drew blasters. Clones everywhere began to open fire on the evil man, but for some reason many of their bolts ricocheted off of him: a personal shielding device!

"I will not be denied my destiny!" Palpatine shouted. With a leap he flew from his pod, blasting several on his way with lightning. One contained the senator from Pantora and someone Cole had not expected to see; Kuo. The pods veered out of control as he landed and rushed out of the building. Cole tore his eyes away from Kuo; he had to stop Palpatine.

"After him!" shouted Cole and Windu. All at once a dozen lightsabers sprang forth and hundreds of clones converged on the chancellor's exit. Cole flew after the disappearing figure, the wake of his rush causing cloaks everywhere to billow like crazy.

Bursting out of the atrium, Cole saw the figure of Palpatine disappear into a newly-furbished shuttle and take off. Blaster bolts from nearby clone troopers seemed to simply deflect off the hull: a powerful shielding device must have been installed in the ship.

"Don't let him get away!" Cole shouted into his comlink. Over the horizon dozens of new gunships flew from behind buildings where they had been lying in wait in case things came to this point.

The shuttle veered to the right, trying to outrace the gunships. As the pilots gained on the ship, something strange happened: several careened into each other, crashing onto the tops of buildings. One impacted the side of a building and wedged itself inside, appearing mostly undamaged but entirely useless in the chase.

"He's using the Force!" Cole thought. "All gunships pull back!" As his troopers pulled their ships to a safer distance, Cole had a quandary form in his head. Unless he did something, Palpatine was going to get away. He couldn't send in more troops, lest they too be influenced by the Force and ram into buildings.

"Not on my watch," he said. Jumping into the air, he soared after the shuttle, rapidly gaining speed until he was a streak of lightning flying through the Coruscant skies. Within seconds he caught up with the fleeing shuttle, which was currently trying to bypass a floating weather control tower. He felt a push that no wind could have made, but he only flew faster, the force crushing down on him being swept aside by his sheer power.

"Time to end this," he thought. With a burst of speed he crashed into the shuttle, severing one of the stabilizer wings and nearby splitting the main cabin in two. As he fell away he saw the ship crash into the floating tower, severing the cable ties and crashing onto a large section of walkway. The tower, freed from its bonds plowed into a large building, destroying itself in the process.

Almost immediately the clear skies began to change. Clouds began to from where they had not been seen since before Cole arrived on Coruscant. In fact, clouds were such a rare occurrence on Coruscant that white and puffy ones were viewed as a miracle. These were not white and puffy: they were dark and ominous. Where the air had been calm before a breeze began to pick up, with a quickness that would have given sailors of old a feeling of foreboding.

Cole got up from his crash landing to see thousands of pieces of debris falling around him. As the amount of debris ceased to pile up, Cole began to walk towards the crashed shuttle, the wind beginning to pick at his clothes. All around him clutter and debris light enough began to swirl with the winds.

"You're not going to escape, 'my lord'," Cole said, mocking the former chancellor. He saw a hunched-over form exit the shuttle, limping slightly. The cloak was tattered but there was no mistaking the Sith Lord. "As General of the Republic, I hereby place you under arrest for crimes against said Republic," Cole said. "As f-," he didn't finish as he felt himself be launched backwards into a pile of debris.

"You fool!" Palpatine shouted, hurling shrapnel at Cole with the Force. "You insignificant, purblind wretch! You ruined everything!"

Cole blasted a large pylon headed his way with a rocket, ripping it apart. "What do you mean I ruined everything? YOU started a war!" The debris and shrapnel rained down all around him as he threw up an ionic shield to shield himself from several sharp shards of glass. He'd easily survive the shrapnel, but he wasn't about to let himself get hurt and lower his guard because of it.

"To save the galaxy!" Palpatine shouted, sending a concussive blast through the Force. Cole barely managed to leap out of the way before the concussive force blasted through the debris he had landed on. "To save it from itself: if it were not for us Sith and our countless minions, the galaxy would have descended into a civil war which would have wiped out nearly all governments and sent many planets back to the stone age! Even if it had managed to stay together, your involvement has assured our destruction by a power you cannot comprehend!" He threw another pylon like a missile, only to see it shatter on another of Cole's electrical rockets.

"How could you possibly do that?" Cole shouted. "What power? What is this threat that gives the 'mighty' Sith cause for concern?" His shield frizzled away when a piece of a still-functioning power generator made contact with it.

"We shall be invaded in a few decades time, you fool," the former chancellor shouted. "If the military I spent my life building up is not strong enough and the galaxy prepared enough, we will all die! But you will not have the luxury of seeing the end!" With that the insane Sith Lord drew a blood-red lightsaber and flew towards Cole. Cole responded by leaping forward as well and activating his gigawatt blades. The two met, Conduit against Sith: lightning versus the Dark Side of the Force. The resulting crash sent a shockwave all around them, so great was the power being wielded.

After about a minute, Cole found Palpatine was a duelist on an entirely different level than Asajj or Grievous. Unlike before, Cole was trying his hardest not to get sliced apart from the glowing red blade. Sparks showered the landscape as Cole barely met Palpatine's furious blows. Narrow misses and deflections littered the area around them with deep furrows, as Palpatine showed no sign of letting up his ferocious assault. His face was twisted into a mask of hatred, with his yellow eyes burning under his hood.

"The Jedi shall fall and you with them!" Sidious screamed. "The Plan shall never fail!" In a move Cole could never have anticipated, the Sith spun upwards while force-pushing Cole in the chest. Cole's arms flew forward, both in a defensive block and as a reaction to his body moving backwards so suddenly. Then the Sith pushed down with his blade and the downwards strike landed on Cole's unprotected arm right above the elbow, half way up the bicep. A flash of lightning in the sky punctured the poignant moment, casting the area, for an instant, in an otherworldly glow.

A quick flash of pain made Cole's vision go white for an instant. With a scream he landed a punch on the underside of Palpatine's chin, sending him flying through the air. But the damage was done; his arm lay on the ground. Sparks flew from the cut off end as the fingers clenched at nothing. Sidious got back up on his feet, cackling like a madman. "You thought you were invulnerable, didn't you," he said, pocketing his lightsaber. "Your powers may have served you well in battle, but they can't protect you from a Sith Lord!"

Cole looked up at him, the rage seething from his features. "I don't need my arm to kill you," he said, his teeth bared in a snarl. Tendrils of lightning sparked off his arm stump, as if seeking what had been lost. Some of the ground around it began to vibrate as the electricity arcing out struck every which way around it.

Sidious reached out with the Force and hurtled another chunk of debris at Cole, but he simply side-stepped it in the blink of an eye. Reaching down, he picked up his arm and let the tendrils from both stumps connect. As if plugging into each other, the electrical ropes pulled his arm back onto the stump, a zapping noise echoing from the joining. Seconds later, a small flash of light sealed off the wound, and Cole felt feeling return to his arm.

"Impossible!" Sidious shouted. Spinning around, he called upon every cell in his body to wield the Force. Within a second, the building the weather tower had smashed into crumbled at the bottom and lifted off its foundations. A great groaning and the sound of metal wrenching away accompanied the floating collection of debris, the noise permeating the entire area.

"Die!" Sidious shouted, bringing the whole building down towards Cole. As Cole tried to leap out of the way, an invisible hand wrapped itself around his entire head and yanked him off the ground, holding him in place. Try hard as he might, he found he could move at all. He could only watch as the falling colossus of twisted metal fell towards him.

A massive crash echoed throughout the area, sending a shockwave through the ground. Glass flew in every direction, along with the damaged shuttle. Sidious threw up a Force bubble to shield himself from the impact, but even that barely held him in place.

Under the pile, Cole felt as if his entire body was on fire. It was like being crushed by that ship back on Kuat all over again, but this time there was an urgency he had not had before: he needed to stop Palpatine. Blinking away the white spots in his vision, he felt his mind slip and a few words from a conversation slip in, a conversation on Kuat that seemed to have happened an eon ago.

"The power a Conduit wields is directly linked to his state of emotion. You, Cole, have more than just your own power. When you fought me for the final time, your attacks had damaged my form to the point where I was falling apart. I may be dead, but I sense within you a few of my powers: the ability to activate Conduits, for example. However, my greatest power lies within you and cannot be activated like others: it was born of pain and anger, and can only be activated as such." John White: even in death he had a way of talking to someone like they didn't have a clue.

Cole closed his eyes and concentrated on his internal self, trying to find the power he needed. If he didn't get out of this, Palpatine could get away. He could disappear and reappear years later, leading some sort of movement that would undoubtedly be an opponent of the Republic they were not ready for. The whole galaxy would be in trouble, the Jedi, his Conduits, Lucy Kuo...

Cole's eyes shot open, his mind reeling. Kuo: he couldn't let that monster harm her. He couldn't, he wouldn't. He hadn't realized it for a long time, but he had moved on from Trish: he loved Lucy Kuo. If he lost her, his world would truly crumble. The ground around him trembled as lightning arced all over his skin: he had found the power.

Outside, Palpatine stood wheezing slightly. That fight had taken more out of him than he had realized. But at least the man who had ruined his plans was no more. "It is over for you, Cole MacGrath," he said, spitting out the name like a foul taste in his mouth. He turned to walk away when a great noise emanated from the point where the building had landed on Cole. A few seconds later, a massive bolt of lightning from the ominous clouds high above struck the pile.

"This can't be possible!" the mad Sith Lord screeched to the cloudy sky. As he stared at the pile a massive explosion lit up from where the building was, sending chunks high into the sky. As the smoke cleared Palpatine saw something he never thought possible, even with someone like MacGrath.

A colossus of metal stood before him, the veins a glowing bright blue. The eyes were entirely white, but the face was unmistakable; it was Cole.

"No more games," the behemoth said, his booming voice sounding over the landscape. "This is where it ends." As if by his own power the clouds became charged with lightning and struck the figure, bathing him in a glow of energy.

Palpatine frantically threw whatever he could at the specter, but it was useless: there was no stopping it. Sidious began to flee, but there was no place he could possibly run: he was too exhausted to use Force speed to aid in his escape. With a swing the giant swung a massive lightning-covered fist down onto the fleeing Sith Lord. The explosion of energy obliterated every last cell of the man, and the ground buckled under the impact, with much of the surrounding duracrete being torn away like tissue paper. A shockwave blasted the area, sending errant debris flying everywhere: windows in nearby buildings shattered from the impact.

Within a minute of the dust settling gunships flew onto the scene as the skies cleared and the behemoth started to shrink. Cole found himself standing amidst the debris field with several clones and Master Windu walking up to him, clearly unsure of exactly what to do.

"Are you okay?" Windu asked, clearly awed by what he had seen. Cole nodded his head.

"Where is Palpatine?" Shadow asked as he walked over to the crater, nudging a bit of tattered cloak with his boot.

"He's dead," Cole replied. "But I know of what he sought; this galaxy will face something more terrible than a civil war. He told me we must prepare for the future."

"But how?" asked Shadow, letting out a slight cough: the itching in the back of his throat had begun as soon as he arrived on Coruscant, but he had simply just passed it off as being the pollution.

"We must build our forces and repair the damage to the galaxy. Every planet must become a fortress in order to stop whatever he saw." Cole knew it was a tall order, but the Republic had to become on an almost permanent war-time basis if the peace was to be held.

Another gunship landed and to Cole's surprise, Lucy Kuo stepped out.

"Are you hurt?" he asked as she ran up to him, worried about her tumble in the Senate chamber.

She threw her arms around his neck, hugging herself close. "No, I'm fine," she said. "Remember how I said I needed to tell you something?"

"Yes?" Cole said. He vaguely remembered she was going to tell him something in the senate, but things had spiraled out of control.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered in his ear. Cole felt his jaw hit the floor; of all the things she could have said, this was the least expected.

"How far are you?" he asked, barely able to form the words.

"Around two months," she said. "I've been meaning to tell you, but I never had the time."

"We only did it once," Cole said, scratching the back of his head in a bit of embarrassment and glee. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but knocking someone up on his first go was a bit of an ego boost: must have had something to do with his Conduit abilities or something.

Kuo shrugged her shoulders and smiled at his expression, brushing his cheek with her hand as she did. "It only takes once, Cole."

Cole hugged her, overjoyed at the news. "When do you want to be married?" he asked, feeling as giddy as a puppy.

"Are you sure you want us to go that far?" she asked, secretly hoping he would still want to be with her forever. "We don't exactly know each other and things did get a little out of hand in your quarters."

"No child of mine is going to come into this world as illegitimate," he said, giving her a tighter hug around the shoulders. "I've always wanted a family, and I cannot think of a better person to start one with. So, when should we be married?" He also thought of the political ramifications of one of the Republic's heroes getting the stigma of being a womanizer: it would not do either of them any good.

"Within the month," she said. "I still want a traditional Earth wedding, but we'll have to start preparing now if everyone is going to know what's going on."

Cole nodded, unsure of what else to do. "I'll start getting the guests; there are so many people who would love to come." He turned to Shadow. "Hey Shadow, wanna go to a wedding?"

Shadow removed his helmet, an unmistakable grin on his face. "Who's the lucky girl, sir?" Cole simply wrapped an arm around Kuo's shoulder. Shadow saluted him; "Sir, yes sir."

Cole turned to Mace Windu, a question forming in his mind. "Master Windu, do you have a comlink?"

The Jedi master shook his head. "There should be one in the gunship." He lifted a bit of tattered robe, the only remaining evidence of the last Sith known to the Republic.

Cole rushed over to the gunship and found a comlink. With a quick connection to his troops in the 21st Legion, he broadcast his message. "The war is over boys; we won!" A great cheer emanated from his headset. Cole waited for the cheering to die down before asking the next question. "You boys have been with me through a lot and I have a question for you: how would you like to be my escort at my wedding?"

An even greater cheer sounded from the comlink. "Excellent," he said, his voice taking on a bit of the military edge. "You know what that means; I want you all dressed up in your finest armor, polished to a fine sheen."

With confirmations, his troops signed of and began to make their way back to base, already preparing for the upcoming ceremony. The word had already spread into the senate, and once there it would spread throughout the galaxy.

One week later...

Cole found himself standing in the Jedi Council room, standing next to a nervous Anakin. The day before Padme had given birth to twins and the Jedi had found out the identity of the father.

"Masters," Cole said, looking at each member of the Council. "I wish to give my support to Anakin in this meeting. He acted bravely throughout the war and refused to back down from a fight, no matter how impossible the odds."

"He broke one of our rules," Windu said, his voice not containing the hardness of when they first met. "He was secretly married and knowingly kept this from us."

"He was in love, and still is," Cole countered, slightly worried about Anakin's silence. "He fought not only for peace and justice, but so his family could grow in a galaxy no longer consumed by war. Isn't that something we all would gladly fight for?"

"I will leave the Jedi Order, if it must come to that," Anakin said, surprising everyone. "I love my family, and I will sacrifice my life as a Jedi to be with them." He was dead serious and even Cole knew his decision was neither brash nor foolhardy. In his position, Cole would do the same thing.

"Do no such thing, you will," Yoda spoke up. "Attachments; long have the Jedi tackled this question. The galaxy, changing it is. The shroud of the Dark Side, fallen it has: in its place, new life and love, there is. Perhaps, with these times, change we must as well."

"What are you saying, Master Yoda?" Cole asked, feeling as though the diminutive Jedi was about to literally 'drop the bomb' on them.

"Repeal, I decide, the rule on attachments. From now on, families the Jedi may have." Several other Jedi masters seemed shocked, but the majority appeared to agree with the Jedi Grand Master. In a case such as this, his choice could be repealed by any group of Jedi, but no one spoke up.

"I will spread the news," Anakin said, a grateful smile shining on his face. He turned and felt Cole clasped his arm in goodbye, gladly returning the gesture.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Skywalker."


	28. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

At the end of the galactic month, a massive assembly had gathered on the planet of Alderaan. News had spread across the galaxy to the Jedi returning from service that they no longer had to abstain from attachments and relationships. This came as a surprise to all but was not unwelcome by most, as quite a few Jedi were already on the verge of leaving if they were not allowed to develop relationships. All around the galaxy dozens of Jedi began revealing the hidden relationships they had started with fellow Jedi. Jedi Masters Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura had announced their wedding within a few months, as well as several other Jedi Masters and Knights. A few Jedi revealed their relationships with non-Jedi, including a certain Knight named Etain Tur-Mukan. To the shock of a few but the delight of many more, she had found love with a certain clone commando named Darman. As a shocker to many more, Obi-wan and Duchess Satine had been seen together frequently and there were rumors of a small, secret ceremony set to take place between the two.

But all eyes were focused on the ceremony taking place below. From all over the galaxy came the masses of politicians, royalty, military personnel and the super wealthy. The news media had swarmed the planet, already declaring this to be the wedding of the century. Nearly every planet in the galaxy was watching through every available Holonet channel: even the Hutts, who normally abhorred anything not involving themselves, were listening in with great interest. The ashes of war were still being swept away, but for the meantime all was calm across the galaxy as the rebuilding continued.

The 21st Legion was attending the ceremony, with every trooper, officer and pilot dressed in their finest armor and uniform. Every speck of dirt and damage has been washed away, leaving a legion of positively glowing soldiers. Shadow himself was in the audience, finished with leading a military precession and sitting in the front row. Next to him was Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, recently elevated to the title a few days before in a private ceremony. Alongside him was Senator Padme Amidala, along with their twins Luke and Leia. There was already a flurry of discussion as to who would take them on as apprentices, though there were favorites in Obi-Wan, Shaak Ti and Yoda.

Cole MacGrath stood upon the platform, dressed in the finest suit the Jedi and Conduits could find. In the front rows sat all the Conduits he had rescued, along with several new members and the entirety of the Jedi Council. The newly-made and recently healed Grievous had been seated with Master Shaak Ti, who had given a taller chair to Jedi Master Yoda. Next to them both sat the new Supreme Chancellor, Bail Organa, elected in on an almost unanimous vote. His own bodyguards, resplendent in newly furbished armor supplied by Cole's military contracts, were seated in the entire row behind them.

Everywhere else Cole looked people were waving, cheering and talking. Up in the skies squadrons of starfighters flew in formation, surrounding the _Resurrection_ and her fellow ships as the floated through the lower atmosphere. All the marks of the war had been scrubbed and scraped away, leaving a shining hull representing a new future for the galaxy. Cole looked back to the rows upon rows of aliens attending his wedding. In the back Cole could see now-admiral Thrawn sitting with a delegation from the Chiss Empire, deep in conversation. No one from their enemies the Killiks had arrived, though they were suspected to soon begin diplomatic negotiations with the Republic. In the far back sat Jabba the Hutt with his young son Rotta, though Cole had no idea who invited him and his entourage. He had a nagging feeling it was Shadow, as the Jawa rubbed elbows with every major criminal enterprise in the galaxy and had quite a few under his thumb. But he couldn't begrudge the little guy: he had freed countless worlds of slavery and had reduced the child slavery market across the galaxy by half thanks to his spreading influence. Still, it would be best to keep an eye on him for the time being. The same was with some of the newer recruits, most notably a Geonosian: there could still be some Separatist feelings hidden under his skin, so Cole was careful about letting him train with others who had fought in the war.

"It is time," replied the appointed minister, knocking Cole out of his reverie. Cole turned to him and nodded, feeling surprisingly calm about one of the biggest days of his entire life. Thanks to Trionis, the skies were clear of any storm clouds and a very gentle breeze wafted over the precessions. Thankfully there were still some white and puffy clouds to punctuate the overall sunshine, or else everyone might have gotten a bit too warm from the proceedings.

A chorus of musical instruments sounded in the air, causing everybody to cease talking and look back down the long aisle. Cole smiled as Kuo walked up the aisle from an expensive speeder, resplendent in a dress crafted by the finest gown makers in the galaxy. As she reached him, he gently took her hand and turned to the appointed minister, an Ithorian. After the lengthy introductions and exchanging of vows, the final questions came into place. "Do you, General Cole MacGrath, leader of the Order of the Conduits and sworn hero of the Republic, take Lucy Kuo to be your life partner?"

"I do," Cole said, giving her hands a squeeze. The Ithorian minister turned to Kuo, his throat slits visible in the light. The soft breeze fluttered her veil as she looked into Cole's eyes.

"Do you, Lucy Kuo, take Cole MacGrath to be your life partner?" There was a slight pause in the air as the breeze fluttered around the pair. Cole could have sworn he felt a slight caress on his cheek from the wind: a kindred spirit from Earth giving him her final blessings, perhaps?

"I do," Kuo said, beaming as she did so. With the blessings of the minister, they leaned in and kissed each other, their joining arms signifying the completion of their bond. As a great mass the audience rose and clapped, a thundering noise echoing over the plains. Squadrons of starfighters flew overhead, with fireworks streaking out from behind them in a fantastic display. Cole held Lucy Kuo in his arms and smiled up at the heavens: he had finally found peace.

**The End**

**A/N: Well, here is the end of our story. But is this the end of Cole's saga in the Star Wars universe? Not by a long shot.**


	29. Update for the Fans

Well folks, this isn't really an update, but more of an announcement. I have started publishing mini-stories in the same Infamous/Star Wars crossover section detailing minor events that happened during and after the main story that don't exactly fit in with the narrative. I have quite a few already written and will publish weekly, so if you have any questions, feel free to PM me or leave them in the reviews.

And yes, to those who want to know, I am currently working on Infamous Wars 2. It will still be a while before I publish it, but I am pleased to say I'm at least a quarter of the way through writing the whole thing. It will be as long if not longer than the first one, so be prepared for more Conduits, more Force-users and more epic battles on planets and in space!

**Update 2:** Just so you know, there is an important poll out on my profile page detailing an important aspect of Infamous Wars 2. Feel free to partake in the poll and be sure to tell anyone who's interested to stop on by!


	30. A Surprising Revelation

Author's note.

As many of you have been waiting for what seems like eons, I tell you this: I have definitely been working on Infamous Wars 2. For a while, I worked on it and fell out of touch with my writing self, as I became too distracted by other things. So, to help myself, I took up writing another project, and lo and behold, it has become my most popular work, judging from the amount of people on that enjoy its every update. That story being A Dragon's Journey, of course.

But I'm getting off track. I have recently realized something while Infamous Wars may be my most popular work of fiction on , looking back I realized it may be kinda good, but it is nowhere near my current level of writing standards. So, in an effort to revitalize myself to continue rehashing, rewriting and renewing my surge in writing and funnel it into two or three projects at once, I am now going to rewrite Infamous Wars. Some of it, though I will not say what, will remain the same, but everything will be expanded upon: backstories, the plot, characters, battles, interactions, dialogue, everything: it will all be fleshed out and revamped to meet my current standards.

So I know many of you are no doubt disappointed in this announcement, as many liked the old version. Well, I will not be entirely getting rid of my old Infamous Wars. I am thinking of starting a blog or something similar, where I can store my older stories for those who loved those more. If anyone knows how to do so, please PM me on how to do so. I would hate to deprive my fans of what many grew to like, and so, I shall not replace any old chapters until someone has done such.

Hope you all will decide to travel once more with MacGrath and I into that galaxy far, far away for adventure and excitement. See you there!


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